Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boracay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 188% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Boracay is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$3.16 ₱194

412.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$21.07 ₱1,297

200.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$4.81 ₱296

114.55%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.37 ₱146

19.41%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.27 ₱78.4

80.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.26 ₱15.86

507.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.31 ₱80.5

159.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.17 ₱134

85.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.80 ₱111

-39.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.26 ₱77.4

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.87 ₱53.8

102.30%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.60 ₱160

21.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$7.88 ₱485

67.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.13 ₱254

92.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$7.83 ₱482

98.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.99 ₱184

-20.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.48 ₱91.2

15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.58 ₱159

-22.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.44 ₱88.6

68.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.79 ₱110

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.60 ₱160

-21.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.06 ₱65.2

81.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.71 ₱43.94

19.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.87 ₱238

70.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$8.26 ₱508

-32.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.21 ₱74.6

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.02 ₱125

47.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.36 ₱22.34

533.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.82 ₱50.7

415.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.24 ₱14.80

237.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.07 ₱127

790.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.28 ₱78.7

62.50%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

30.35%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

90.98%

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

$148 €130

$117 ₱7,185

26.86%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$8.78 ₱540

133.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$39.13 ₱2,409

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$53.7 ₱3,306

-10.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$4.30 ₱265

332.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$4.23 ₱261

117.97%

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

$616 €539

$149 ₱9,180

313.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,041 ₱248.8K

306.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$46.67 ₱2,873

120.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$26.65 ₱1,641

56.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$75.6 ₱4,654

25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$52.9 ₱3,253

130.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$261 ₱16.1K

526.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$179 ₱11.0K

589.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$581 ₱35.7K

433.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$742 ₱45.7K

173.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,397 ₱147.6K

226.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$957 ₱58.9K

358.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$238 ₱14.7K

574.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.67

-42.88%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $261 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 575% 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 $21.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $204 per month, with Boracay 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Boracay differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $797 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 575% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $261 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $149 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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 Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.