Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Celaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Celaya: $903 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Celaya, Mexico
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Celaya
🇲🇽 Mexico
$903
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Celaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Celaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $903 in Celaya.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Celaya $903

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,423 in Celaya.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Celaya $1,423

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $1,944 in Celaya.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Celaya $1,944

Living in Lisbon is roughly 145% more expensive than in Celaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Celaya is 34% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$12.40 MX$233
34.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$43.66 MX$820
41.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$6.98 MX$131
62.75%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.18 MX$59.7
-6.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.17 MX$22.02
95.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.09 MX$20.52
59.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.11 MX$39.70
61.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$3.14 MX$59.0
5.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.42 MX$26.60
-18.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.13 MX$40.11
-10.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.50 MX$28.17
0.67%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.16 MX$40.66
86.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$7.94 MX$149
62.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$8.13 MX$153
-4.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$11.44 MX$215
55.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.17 MX$40.82
5.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.07 MX$20.05
61.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.45 MX$27.34
28.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$1.07 MX$20.08
142.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.57 MX$29.58
15.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.37 MX$25.69
43.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.01 MX$19.03
45.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.77 MX$14.56
-6.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$4.26 MX$80.0
54.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$8.56 MX$161
-34.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.77 MX$33.35
-23.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.35 MX$63.1
-36.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.62 MX$11.61
275.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$27.20 MX$511
64.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.23 MX$23.06
213.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.07 MX$20.20
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$10.98 MX$206
49.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.45 MX$27.29
51.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$23.9K MX$449.7K
42.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$23.6K MX$442.6K
64.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$35.91 MX$675
348.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$18.80 MX$353
-2.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$18.77 MX$353
74.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$31.68 MX$595
40.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$27.10 MX$509
-29.52%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$4.88 MX$91.7
96.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$213 MX$3,999
213.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$2,823 MX$53.1K
523.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$53.2 MX$1,001
91.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$38.46 MX$723
15.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$101 MX$1,896
-2.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$70.5 MX$1,326
75.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$247 MX$4,635
552.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$219 MX$4,109
444.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$376 MX$7,064
648.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$278 MX$5,226
623.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Celaya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$806 MX$15.1K
95.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
11.2
-65.63%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Celaya: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Celaya
$219 81.6% $971
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Celaya
$231 15.2% $41
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Celaya
$184 24.1% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Celaya
$73 65.4% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Celaya
$118 28.6% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Celaya
$41 35% $22
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Celaya
$36 42.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $247 in Celaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 95% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $44 in Celaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $231 per month, with Celaya cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇽 Celaya
🕒 Local time
02:22 2:22 AM
20:22 8:22 PM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
378,143
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Celaya 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Celaya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Celaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Celaya?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $903 in Celaya, so Celaya is about 59% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Celaya?
Average pay runs 95% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Celaya?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $247 in Celaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Celaya – a meal for two runs $44 versus $62 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Celaya?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $903 in Celaya – Celaya is about 59% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $903 in Celaya versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Celaya but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Celaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Celaya?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Celaya?
Expats usually find Celaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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