Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cebu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cebu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $1,340 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $1,808 in Cebu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 159% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.43

$4.37 ₱262

262.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.7

$24.24 ₱1,452

165.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.80

$4.48 ₱268

131.47%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$2.56 ₱153

12.89%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$0.85 ₱51.1

162.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.31

$0.43 ₱25.54

260.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.87

$1.53 ₱91.7

120.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.31

$2.09 ₱125

86.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.95

$2.31 ₱138

-51.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.52 ₱91.2

18.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.48

$1.17 ₱69.8

49.57%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.69

$2.38 ₱142

33.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.46

$12.82 ₱768

5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.61

$5.35 ₱321

45.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.29

$7.52 ₱450

108.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$3.46 ₱207

-34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.46 ₱87.6

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.64

$3.26 ₱195

-40.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.14

$2.25 ₱134

12.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.56 ₱154

-30.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$2.57 ₱154

-20.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.64

$0.97 ₱58.2

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.77 ₱46.22

5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.65

$3.27 ₱196

103.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.91

$6.84 ₱410

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.13

$1.16 ₱69.3

14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$2.33 ₱139

24.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €1.99

$0.26 ₱15.49

803.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.80

$15.33 ₱918

198.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.57

$0.87 ₱52.4

382.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.23 ₱13.67

252.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.88

$2.71 ₱162

590.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.15 ₱68.6

81.74%

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

$34.6K €29.4K

$30.7K ₱1.8M

12.67%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

46.78%

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

$146 €124

$96.4 ₱5,774

51.30%

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

$20.84 €17.69

$34.40 ₱2,060

-39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.77

$29.34 ₱1,757

35.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.25

$33.83 ₱2,026

43.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.00

$8.29 ₱497

127.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.70

$5.78 ₱346

56.92%

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

$618 €525

$234 ₱14.0K

164.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.7K

$3,897 ₱233.4K

314.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €88.8

$53.6 ₱3,207

95.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.42

$22.90 ₱1,372

77.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.6

$76.6 ₱4,586

22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$56.2 ₱3,367

118.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,362

$510 ₱30.5K

214.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,070

$217 ₱13.0K

481.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,602

$803 ₱48.1K

281.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,705

$388 ₱23.2K

418.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,539

$3,082 ₱184.6K

149.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,707

$1,952 ₱116.9K

123.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,391

$382 ₱22.9K

328.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-52.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Cebu: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $510 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 329% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $24 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $241 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 329% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $510 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Lisbon versus $873 in Cebu – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 198% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.