Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bonao Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bonao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $686 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,106 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,525 in Bonao.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 222% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Bonao is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.38 DOP 314

195.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$27.45 DOP 1,601

135.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.94 DOP 288

112.75%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.99 DOP 116

44.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$0.98 DOP 57.4

128.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.83 DOP 48.35

80.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.44 DOP 142

43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.97 DOP 173

30.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.40 DOP 81.5

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.41 DOP 82.5

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.89 DOP 52.1

97.75%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.59 DOP 92.5

102.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.02 DOP 409

92.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.61 DOP 327

41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$10.67 DOP 622

48.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.25 DOP 131

2.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.65 DOP 37.73

161.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.30 DOP 134

-12.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.34 DOP 78.0

83.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.17 DOP 127

-15.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.13 DOP 66.2

76.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.75 DOP 43.57

157.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.53 DOP 30.70

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$5.71 DOP 333

15.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.43 DOP 434

-23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.36 DOP 138

-41.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.11 DOP 181

-4.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.57 DOP 33.35

315.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$27.83 DOP 1,623

63.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.45 DOP 201

24.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.13 DOP 124

-61.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.39 DOP 139

665.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.26 DOP 73.7

63.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

30.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.3K €33.8K

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

24.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €127

$75.6 DOP 4,409

95.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.52 €17.65

$25.61 DOP 1,494

-19.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$34.06 DOP 1,987

16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$16.84 DOP 982

184.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$2.52 DOP 147

264.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$614 €528

$271 DOP 15.8K

126.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,946 DOP 463.5K

101.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$59.5 DOP 3,471

75.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$52.0 DOP 3,034

-19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$34.27 DOP 1,999

174.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$33.92 DOP 1,978

252.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$146 DOP 8,509

1015.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$102 DOP 5,943

1132.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$292 DOP 17.0K

939.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$213 DOP 12.4K

849.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-68.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bonao: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $146 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in Bonao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $201 per month, with Bonao cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Bonao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bonao differ by about 222% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $686 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,029 in Bonao to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $146 in Bonao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 64% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $271 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $686 in Bonao versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bonao are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 222% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.