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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,389 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,065 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,741 in Boquete.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 59% more expensive than Boquete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Boquete 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.43 PAB 5.43

193.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$29.91 PAB 29.91

116.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.36 PAB 7.36

42.80%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.32 PAB 3.32

-13.55%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.40 PAB 1.40

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.87 PAB 0.87

72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.77 PAB 1.77

97.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.02 PAB 2.02

92.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.62 PAB 1.62

-29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-27.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.41 PAB 1.41

24.82%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.66 PAB 2.66

21.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.11 PAB 9.11

48.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.62 PAB 7.62

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.00 PAB 11.00

44.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.44 PAB 4.44

-47.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.00 PAB 1.00

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.18 PAB 3.18

-36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.64 PAB 1.64

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.28 PAB 2.28

-19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.68 PAB 1.68

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.23 PAB 2.23

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.65 PAB 1.65

-52.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$5.35 PAB 5.35

23.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$8.08 PAB 8.08

-29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.20 PAB 1.20

14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.70 PAB 2.70

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.52 PAB 1.52

55.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$25.34 PAB 25.34

79.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.01 PAB 1.01

324.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.06 PAB 2.06

-60.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$30.39 PAB 30.39

-39.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.89 PAB 0.89

131.46%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

33.12%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

88.89%

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

$148 €127

$53.7 PAB 53.7

175.62%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$28.49 PAB 28.49

-27.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$45.79 PAB 45.79

-13.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$87.9 PAB 87.9

-45.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$17.68 PAB 17.68

7.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.41 PAB 6.41

43.21%

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

$614 €528

$245 PAB 245

150.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$35.53 PAB 35.53

194.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$25.36 PAB 25.36

65.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$51.4 PAB 51.4

82.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$58.9 PAB 58.9

103.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$743 PAB 743

119.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$652 PAB 652

92.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,564 PAB 1,564

93.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,142 PAB 1,142

76.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,181 PAB 1,181

560.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,155 PAB 1,155

269.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$800 PAB 800

100.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-45.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $743 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 100% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $30.00 in Boquete. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $271, 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.

Lisbon pays 100% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $743 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Boquete – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,389 in Boquete versus $2,210 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.