Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and BuchaCost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bucha
Monthly Cost of Living
๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $713 in Bucha.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,114 in Bucha.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $1,514 in Bucha.
๐Living in Lisbon is roughly 215% more expensive than Bucha, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Bucha is 47% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.73โฌ13.42
$8.65โด380
81.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.2โฌ53.9
$30.99โด1,362
103.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32โฌ8.80
$6.15โด271
67.80%
Cappuccino
$2.81โฌ2.40
$1.00โด43.91
181.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33โฌ1.99
$0.63โด27.63
269.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51โฌ1.29
$0.39โด17.29
287.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.37โฌ2.87
$0.94โด41.51
258.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91โฌ3.34
$1.46โด64.4
167.81%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.08โฌ0.92
$1.03โด45.14
4.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75โฌ1.49
$0.74โด32.49
136.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.75โฌ1.50
$1.38โด60.7
26.81%
Eggs
$3.10โฌ2.64
$1.50โด66.1
106.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.28โฌ11.33
$7.52โด331
76.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.85โฌ6.70
$4.49โด197
74.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.05โฌ13.69
$7.90โด347
103.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.39โฌ2.04
$0.85โด37.31
181.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72โฌ1.47
$1.48โด65.0
16.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.97โฌ1.68
$1.89โด83.3
4.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.55โฌ2.17
$2.21โด97.2
15.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79โฌ1.53
$0.58โด25.63
208.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97โฌ1.68
$0.60โด26.28
228.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.96โฌ1.67
$1.59โด69.7
23.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84โฌ0.71
$0.58โด25.52
44.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82โฌ5.82
$2.57โด113
165.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.85โฌ4.99
$4.13โด182
41.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38โฌ1.18
$0.85โด37.34
62.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92โฌ2.49
$1.37โด60.0
113.14%
๐ Getting Around
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.29โฌ1.95
$0.35โด15.37
554.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.88โฌ39.99
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.12โฌ3.51
$2.07โด90.9
99.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81โฌ0.69
$0.35โด15.25
131.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.94โฌ16.16
$2.92โด128
548.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.09โฌ1.78
$1.33โด58.6
57.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1Kโฌ30.0K
$31.2Kโด1.4M
12.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7Kโฌ33.9K
$24.9Kโด1.1M
59.29%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$150โฌ128
$77.0โด3,386
94.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.49โฌ17.48
$5.68โด250
260.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.15โฌ33.40
$7.21โด317
443.00%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.65โฌ42.35
$24.87โด1,093
99.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.47โฌ15.76
$9.80โด431
88.47%
Cinema Ticket
$9.20โฌ7.84
$4.41โด194
108.62%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$624โฌ533
$285โด12.5K
119.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kโฌ13.6K
$7,667โด337.0K
107.46%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102โฌ87.2
$68.0โด2,989
50.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.88โฌ34.87
$14.36โด631
184.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.7โฌ81.6
$76.7โด3,374
24.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121โฌ103
$83.9โด3,689
44.32%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,653โฌ1,410
$338โด14.8K
389.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,233โฌ1,051
$205โด9,002
501.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,043โฌ2,596
$447โด19.6K
581.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,059โฌ1,756
$309โด13.6K
565.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,879โฌ6,720
$1,037โด45.6K
659.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,303โฌ3,671
$764โด33.6K
463.44%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Bucha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,566โฌ1,336
$635โด27.9K
146.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
8
-52.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026
Last update for Bucha: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $338 in Bucha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐLisbon pays 147% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $31 in Bucha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $161 per month, with Bucha 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 Bucha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Bucha?
Lisbon and Bucha differ by about 215% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $713 including rent). Bucha is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Bucha?
Lisbon pays 147% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and Bucha?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $338 in Bucha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Bucha?
All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $713 in Bucha โ a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $713 in Bucha versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bucha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Bucha?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Bucha safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bucha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Bucha?
Expats usually find Bucha gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 215% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.