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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $687 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,079 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $1,470 in Calarasi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 229% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Calarasi is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$8.69 MDL 150

83.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$36.05 MDL 623

75.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$7.53 MDL 130

37.85%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.89 MDL 32.65

47.62%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.90 MDL 15.59

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.65 MDL 11.15

141.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.77 MDL 30.56

93.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.40 MDL 41.52

62.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.24 MDL 21.44

-12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.56 MDL 9.62

216.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.51 MDL 26.01

13.25%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.48 MDL 42.89

27.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.48 MDL 181

30.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$5.54 MDL 95.7

44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$8.82 MDL 152

75.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$0.91 MDL 15.69

151.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.83 MDL 31.63

-10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.70 MDL 29.35

14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.15 MDL 37.19

16.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.81 MDL 14.07

120.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.58 MDL 10.06

246.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.30 MDL 22.44

51.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.87 MDL 15.09

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.31 MDL 57.1

105.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.28 MDL 22.04

8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.01 MDL 34.65

50.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.99 MDL 34.43

115.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.27 MDL 4.67

214.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$5.11 MDL 88.3

257.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.36 MDL 23.56

46.32%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

8.40%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

25.96%

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

$146 €126

$169 MDL 2,919

-13.52%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$7.73 MDL 134

164.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$10.87 MDL 188

258.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$7.52 MDL 130

26.60%

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

$608 €524

$392 MDL 6,771

55.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

116.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$66.5 MDL 1,149

56.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$54.6 MDL 942

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$111 MDL 1,910

-16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$124 MDL 2,149

-3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $182 – 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 229%, 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 $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,031 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,263 in Lisbon and $687 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $608 per month in Lisbon and $392 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 $687, than in Lisbon at $2,263. 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.