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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,723 in Budva, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,769 in Budva, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $3,815 in Budva, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 28% more than Budva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lisbon and Budva sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Budva by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$16.52 €14.21

-3.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$65.8 €56.6

-1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$11.51 €9.90

-8.69%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.86 €2.46

0.35%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.20 €1.89

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.43 €1.23

4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.44 €2.96

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.80 €3.27

2.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.37 €1.18

-16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.11 €0.95

57.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.37 €2.04

-25.74%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.26 €2.81

-1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.03 €7.77

49.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.02 €6.90

-1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.86 €10.21

33.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.30 €1.12

77.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.79 €1.54

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.67 €1.44

20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.93 €2.52

-16.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.04 €0.89

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.25 €1.08

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.71 €1.47

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.18 €1.01

-33.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.48 €3.86

47.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$6.56 €5.64

-12.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.28 €1.10

7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.72 €1.48

72.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.29 €1.97

3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$40.39 €34.75

12.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.18 €1.01

263.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.02 €0.88

-19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$17.20 €14.80

6.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.78 €1.53

15.73%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$29.8K €25.7K

14.85%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$26.2K €22.6K

49.74%

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

$148 €127

$159 €137

-7.16%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$18.52 €15.93

10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$33.49 €28.81

18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$60.2 €51.8

-20.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$23.86 €20.52

-20.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.68 €4.89

61.62%

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

$614 €528

$419 €361

46.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$10.2K €8,803

56.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$118 €101

-11.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$49.05 €42.19

-14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$112 €96.1

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$206 €177

-41.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$938 €807

73.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$699 €601

79.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,748 €1,503

73.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,415 €1,217

42.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$4,240 €3,648

83.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$3,169 €2,726

34.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,047 €900

53.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.93

-35.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Budva: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $938 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 53% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $66.0 in Budva. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $238 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: $2,210 in Lisbon, $1,723 in Budva – roughly 28% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,584 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,723 in Budva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% 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 $1,723, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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 $1,723 in Budva to $2,210 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.