Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bulacan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bulacan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $709 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,047 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,385 in Bulacan, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 223% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Bulacan is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.63 ₱162

515.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$14.29 ₱879

343.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$2.86 ₱176

260.84%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.18 ₱134

29.82%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.68 ₱42.03

236.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.33 ₱20.57

378.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.04 ₱63.9

226.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.03 ₱125

98.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$2.04 ₱125

-46.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.24 ₱76.4

41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.98 ₱60.4

79.59%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.99 ₱122

59.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$3.13 ₱193

321.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$3.49 ₱215

128.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$6.44 ₱397

141.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.17 ₱134

9.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.44 ₱88.9

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.11 ₱130

-4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.47 ₱90.5

65.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.81 ₱112

-2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.51 ₱92.8

34.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.83 ₱51.1

131.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.80 ₱49.24

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.86 ₱176

130.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$3.68 ₱227

51.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.04 ₱64.3

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.71 ₱105

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.29 ₱17.92

686.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$7.30 ₱449

527.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.81 ₱50.1

422.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.22 ₱13.51

268.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.64 ₱162

598.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.10 ₱67.5

89.09%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$27.3K ₱1.7M

26.97%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$14.8K ₱912.1K

164.31%

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

$148 €130

$113 ₱6,971

30.75%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$32.87 ₱2,023

-37.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$28.12 ₱1,731

40.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$41.87 ₱2,578

14.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$4.34 ₱267

328.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.05 ₱372

52.40%

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

$616 €539

$105 ₱6,493

484.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,301 ₱264.8K

282.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$30.11 ₱1,854

241.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$23.21 ₱1,429

79.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$75.5 ₱4,648

25.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$99.1 ₱6,103

23.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$259 ₱15.9K

530.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$135 ₱8,317

812.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$391 ₱24.1K

692.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$201 ₱12.4K

911.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$1,954 ₱120.3K

300.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,461 ₱90.0K

200.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$293 ₱18.0K

448.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.17

-38.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $259 in Bulacan. 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 449% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $164 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 223% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,063 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $709 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 527% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $709 versus $2,291 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bulacan. 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.