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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $718 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,050 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,383 in Bulacan, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 208% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Bulacan is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.70 ₱167

489.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$14.10 ₱870

359.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$2.83 ₱174

271.38%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.22 ₱137

29.28%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.68 ₱41.84

229.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.31 ₱18.92

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.04 ₱63.9

235.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.10 ₱129

84.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.11 ₱130

-45.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.25 ₱77.0

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.92 ₱56.6

91.30%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.97 ₱121

63.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$3.04 ₱188

343.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.70 ₱228

113.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.67 ₱411

137.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.07 ₱128

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.44 ₱88.6

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.14 ₱132

-6.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.43 ₱88.2

72.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.74 ₱107

5.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.52 ₱93.6

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.88 ₱54.0

119.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.84 ₱52.1

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.87 ₱177

130.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$3.63 ₱224

57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.09 ₱67.3

25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.62 ₱100

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.29 ₱17.95

717.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$7.49 ₱462

508.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.76 ₱47.02

464.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.24 ₱14.84

241.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.72 ₱168

572.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.10 ₱67.6

87.27%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

26.55%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$14.7K ₱905.5K

167.59%

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

$148 €127

$113 ₱6,942

31.35%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$32.16 ₱1,983

-36.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$27.96 ₱1,724

41.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$40.56 ₱2,501

17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$4.40 ₱271

330.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.38 ₱393

43.89%

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

$614 €528

$106 ₱6,556

477.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,394 ₱270.9K

265.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$29.90 ₱1,844

250.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$23.35 ₱1,440

80.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$75.8 ₱4,674

23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$98.2 ₱6,052

21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$255 ₱15.7K

538.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$135 ₱8,326

829.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$392 ₱24.1K

673.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$202 ₱12.4K

902.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,907 ₱117.6K

309.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,479 ₱91.2K

188.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$294 ₱18.1K

445.04%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $255 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 445% 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 $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $165 – 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 208% 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,076 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $718 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 508% 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 $718, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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 $718 versus $2,210 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.