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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $765 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,164 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,562 in Boracay.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 203% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Boracay is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$5.47 ₱342

216.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$19.41 ₱1,214

225.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$5.85 ₱366

94.70%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.25 ₱141

41.78%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.67 ₱41.77

265.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.23 ₱14.26

665.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.08 ₱67.6

232.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.93 ₱121

75.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.63 ₱102

-23.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.08 ₱67.3

83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.97 ₱60.5

56.70%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.88 ₱117

114.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$5.24 ₱328

158.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$4.01 ₱251

109.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$7.61 ₱476

139.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.55 ₱159

-10.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.55 ₱96.8

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.04 ₱127

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.99 ₱62.1

165.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.00 ₱125

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.81 ₱113

15.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.91 ₱56.8

58.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.61 ₱38.36

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.37 ₱148

186.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$8.11 ₱507

-29.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.00 ₱62.4

38.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.96 ₱122

13.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.25 ₱15.50

860.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$10.29 ₱643

354.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.76 ₱47.49

448.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.23 ₱14.21

395.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$1.70 ₱106

940.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.16 ₱72.5

100.00%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

73.22%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$19.9K ₱1.2M

108.41%

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

$170 €146

$111 ₱6,935

53.59%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$15.94 ₱997

21.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$34.58 ₱2,163

-2.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$34.63 ₱2,166

38.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$4.53 ₱283

339.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$5.23 ₱327

89.67%

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

$717 €617

$153 ₱9,551

369.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$8,190 ₱512.2K

113.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$29.35 ₱1,836

256.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$18.32 ₱1,146

156.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$61.6 ₱3,851

67.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$63.1 ₱3,945

96.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$270 ₱16.9K

520.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$175 ₱10.9K

626.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$504 ₱31.5K

491.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$358 ₱22.4K

457.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$2,625 ₱164.2K

198.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,058 ₱66.2K

340.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$235 ₱14.7K

572.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.75

-43.85%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Boracay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $270 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 573% 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 $19.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $178 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 203% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $765 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 573% 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 $270 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Boracay versus $2,316 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 203% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.