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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $682 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,077 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $1,473 in Calarasi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 226% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Calarasi is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$8.81 MDL 152

83.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$36.52 MDL 632

76.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$7.43 MDL 129

39.70%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.79 MDL 31.03

54.75%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.94 MDL 16.23

139.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$0.66 MDL 11.34

137.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$1.72 MDL 29.74

102.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$2.32 MDL 40.12

72.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.22 MDL 21.17

-11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.55 MDL 9.55

216.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.50 MDL 25.88

16.00%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$2.61 MDL 45.14

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$10.45 MDL 181

28.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$5.32 MDL 92.0

50.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$8.87 MDL 154

81.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.83 MDL 14.36

174.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.77 MDL 30.73

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.70 MDL 29.39

14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$2.15 MDL 37.20

18.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$0.83 MDL 14.34

120.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$0.59 MDL 10.30

245.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.35 MDL 23.43

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.88 MDL 15.22

-3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$3.27 MDL 56.6

109.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.23 MDL 21.23

11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.00 MDL 34.68

45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$2.03 MDL 35.10

100.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.27 MDL 4.72

203.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$5.27 MDL 91.3

246.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.38 MDL 23.80

45.65%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$32.8K MDL 567.2K

7.63%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$30.5K MDL 527.3K

26.34%

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

$145 €124

$173 MDL 2,994

-15.93%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$7.55 MDL 131

177.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$11.01 MDL 191

263.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$7.49 MDL 130

20.96%

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

$607 €518

$390 MDL 6,749

55.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$7,684 MDL 133.0K

112.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$66.7 MDL 1,154

56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$53.4 MDL 924

-23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$111 MDL 1,924

-15.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$125 MDL 2,160

-5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $37.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 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 226%, 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,023 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,227 in Lisbon and $682 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Lisbon and $390 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 $682, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.