Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $678 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,077 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $1,477 in Calarasi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 236% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Calarasi is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$8.87 MDL 156

77.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$37.00 MDL 649

71.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$7.79 MDL 137

34.15%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$1.89 MDL 33.18

53.97%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.00 MDL 17.47

129.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.69 MDL 12.07

117.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$1.80 MDL 31.58

97.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$2.40 MDL 42.05

65.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.29 MDL 22.57

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.56 MDL 9.80

214.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.45 MDL 25.37

17.24%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.58 MDL 45.19

25.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$10.28 MDL 180

28.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$5.45 MDL 95.7

41.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$8.84 MDL 155

78.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.84 MDL 14.72

171.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.74 MDL 30.53

-4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.79 MDL 31.34

12.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.13 MDL 37.36

15.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$0.78 MDL 13.62

129.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$0.55 MDL 9.63

276.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.34 MDL 23.54

47.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.84 MDL 14.68

-1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$3.26 MDL 57.2

100.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.27 MDL 22.27

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$1.91 MDL 33.50

57.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$2.07 MDL 36.26

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.25 MDL 4.34

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$5.30 MDL 93.1

255.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.41 MDL 24.80

43.26%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$32.2K MDL 564.6K

8.62%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$31.0K MDL 543.0K

28.07%

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

$148 €129

$175 MDL 3,078

-15.69%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$7.35 MDL 129

179.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$10.99 MDL 193

259.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$7.41 MDL 130

22.81%

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

$615 €536

$385 MDL 6,749

59.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$7,526 MDL 132.0K

116.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$67.1 MDL 1,178

51.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$53.9 MDL 946

-21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$113 MDL 1,975

-17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$120 MDL 2,112

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.24

-58.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $37.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $181 – making Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 236%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,017 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,280 in Lisbon and $678 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Lisbon and $385 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Calarasi. 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.