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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $635 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $923 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $1,211 in Bulacan, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 262% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Bulacan is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$1.95 ₱122

802.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$15.69 ₱986

300.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$2.71 ₱170

327.31%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.77 ₱111

75.14%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.50 ₱31.56

398.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.25 ₱15.57

596.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$0.94 ₱59.0

270.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.57 ₱98.9

119.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.63 ₱102

-29.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.10 ₱69.1

73.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.87 ₱54.6

72.41%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.76 ₱111

126.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$2.72 ₱171

388.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$3.49 ₱219

129.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$5.95 ₱374

203.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.02 ₱127

16.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.57 ₱98.6

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.00 ₱126

-7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.08 ₱67.6

136.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.58 ₱99.2

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.77 ₱112

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.66 ₱41.33

125.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.53 ₱33.61

54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$2.93 ₱184

142.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$3.56 ₱223

66.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.92 ₱58.0

42.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.58 ₱99.3

34.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.19 ₱11.63

1142.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$6.71 ₱422

594.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.70 ₱44.28

482.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.18 ₱11.00

533.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$1.93 ₱121

785.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.04 ₱65.7

122.12%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

58.80%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$16.0K ₱1.0M

158.61%

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

$169 €147

$114 ₱7,193

47.22%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$17.31 ₱1,087

11.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$23.30 ₱1,464

43.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$36.36 ₱2,284

34.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

$0.78 ₱48.73

2391.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$5.15 ₱323

85.83%

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

$696 €606

$96.5 ₱6,064

621.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$972 ₱61.1K

1685.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$28.30 ₱1,778

272.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$19.31 ₱1,213

147.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$74.4 ₱4,676

35.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$54.7 ₱3,434

127.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$237 ₱14.9K

602.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$149 ₱9,347

737.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$381 ₱23.9K

678.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$215 ₱13.5K

853.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$1,900 ₱119.4K

312.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

$1,418 ₱89.1K

214.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$296 ₱18.6K

450.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.75

-44.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $237 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 451% 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 $16.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $146 – 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 262% 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 $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $952 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 $2,296 in Lisbon and $635 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 595% 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 $635, than in Lisbon at $2,296. 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 $635 versus $2,296 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.