Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Budva Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Budva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,632 in Budva, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,596 in Budva, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $3,559 in Budva, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 39% more than Budva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Budva sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Budva by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$15.09 €13.01

16.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$69.8 €60.1

-7.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$13.70 €11.81

-14.96%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.47 €2.99

-6.05%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.32 €2.00

7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.59 €1.37

5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.80 €4.14

-27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.42 €3.81

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.26 €1.08

-6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.15 €0.99

69.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.36 €2.03

-33.90%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.18 €2.74

26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.89 €7.66

49.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$9.60 €8.28

-12.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$12.85 €11.08

41.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.31 €1.13

77.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.74 €1.50

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.58 €1.37

22.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.05 €2.63

-13.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.95 €0.82

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.10 €0.95

91.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.74 €1.50

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.99 €0.86

-19.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$4.48 €3.86

56.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.99 €6.89

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.16 €1.00

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.82 €1.57

18.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.89 €2.49

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$41.23 €35.54

12.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.13 €0.97

270.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.14 €0.98

-3.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$17.09 €14.74

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.82 €1.57

23.63%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.1K €25.9K

14.69%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$26.6K €22.9K

56.72%

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

$171 €147

$169 €145

1.38%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$15.64 €13.48

21.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$34.56 €29.79

-0.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$60.9 €52.5

-18.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$22.20 €19.13

-12.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$6.56 €5.66

53.96%

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

$699 €603

$412 €355

69.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$10.1K €8,697

76.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$107 €92.1

-2.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$46.65 €40.22

2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$101 €87.3

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$188 €162

-31.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$808 €697

105.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$600 €517

104.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,539 €1,327

89.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,196 €1,031

69.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$4,270 €3,681

90.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$3,116 €2,686

48.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,039 €896

55.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.95

-36.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Budva: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $808 in Budva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $70.0 in Budva. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Lisbon vs $247 in Budva – so Budva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Budva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon, $1,632 in Budva – roughly 39% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,448 in Budva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budva, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,268 in Lisbon and $1,632 in Budva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Budva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Budva, where all-in costs run around $1,632, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Budva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,632 in Budva to $2,268 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Budva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.