Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boquete Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boquete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,459 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,218 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,978 in Boquete.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 59% more expensive than in Boquete, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Boquete 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$6.56 PAB 6.56

163.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$40.60 PAB 40.60

55.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$7.62 PAB 7.62

49.48%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$3.80 PAB 3.80

-16.05%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.35 PAB 1.35

81.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.21 PAB 1.21

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.30 PAB 2.30

56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$5.11 PAB 5.11

-33.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-32.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.13 PAB 2.13

-7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.21 PAB 2.21

-31.22%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.56 PAB 2.56

57.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$9.32 PAB 9.32

45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$7.41 PAB 7.41

13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$15.55 PAB 15.55

17.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$4.36 PAB 4.36

-47.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.02 PAB 1.02

70.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.28 PAB 4.28

-56.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.24 PAB 2.24

17.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.24 PAB 2.24

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.21 PAB 2.21

-5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.19 PAB 2.19

-34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-50.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$5.14 PAB 5.14

31.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$7.84 PAB 7.84

-27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.21 PAB 1.21

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.65 PAB 2.65

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.34 PAB 1.34

79.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$25.16 PAB 25.16

85.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.98 PAB 0.98

325.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.98 PAB 1.98

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$30.10 PAB 30.10

-41.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.08 PAB 1.08

114.81%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$25.1K PAB 25.1K

41.01%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

87.20%

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

$170 €146

$58.5 PAB 58.5

191.26%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$25.76 PAB 25.76

-24.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$42.20 PAB 42.20

-20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$83.5 PAB 83.5

-42.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$17.19 PAB 17.19

15.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$6.32 PAB 6.32

56.96%

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$5,965 PAB 5,965

192.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$24.99 PAB 24.99

319.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$24.54 PAB 24.54

91.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$44.19 PAB 44.19

134.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$827 PAB 827

102.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$700 PAB 700

81.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,559 PAB 1,559

91.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$1,295 PAB 1,295

53.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,203 PAB 1,203

550.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,149 PAB 1,149

305.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$814 PAB 814

94.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.5

-41.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Boquete: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $827 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 94% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $41.00 in Boquete. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $294, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Boquete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boquete is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $827 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $1,459 in Boquete – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,459 in Boquete versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Boquete but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Boquete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Boquete is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Boquete 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 Boquete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.