Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ciudad del Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ciudad del Este

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $379 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $752 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,126 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 505% more than Ciudad del Este, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Ciudad del Este is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$2.47 ₲14.9K

555.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$15.10 ₲91.0K

319.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.13 ₲24.9K

149.88%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.64 ₲9,897

72.56%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.82 ₲4,939

179.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.50 ₲3,015

216.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.24 ₲7,457

174.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$1.83 ₲11.0K

120.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.78 ₲4,722

39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.94 ₲5,679

86.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.87 ₲5,275

102.30%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.64 ₲9,880

93.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$6.06 ₲36.6K

117.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$2.75 ₲16.6K

189.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$5.44 ₲32.8K

185.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.47 ₲8,845

61.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.76 ₲4,611

125.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.87 ₲5,218

131.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.02 ₲6,132

138.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.58 ₲3,492

203.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.72 ₲4,366

181.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.40 ₲2,395

380.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.30 ₲1,794

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.02 ₲6,171

545.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.00 ₲30.1K

11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.52 ₲3,157

155.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.43 ₲8,595

107.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.62 ₲3,719

267.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.65 ₲3,930

550.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.73 ₲4,415

10.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$8.58 ₲51.7K

114.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.87 ₲5,226

139.08%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$14.9K ₲89.8M

132.80%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$23.6K ₲142.5M

65.67%

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

$148 €130

$42.18 ₲254.4K

251.00%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$13.52 ₲81.5K

51.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$13.35 ₲80.5K

196.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$18.65 ₲112.5K

157.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$4.20 ₲25.3K

119.52%

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

$616 €540

$164 ₲987.8K

276.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,403 ₲8.5M

1072.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$49.84 ₲300.6K

106.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$31.07 ₲187.4K

34.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$72.1 ₲435.0K

31.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$52.2 ₲314.8K

133.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$300 ₲1.8M

578.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,807 ₲10.9M

333.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,330 ₲8.0M

230.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$628 ₲3.8M

156.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Este: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 156% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $15.00 in Ciudad del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $120 – making Ciudad del Este 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 Ciudad del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 505%, 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $568 in Ciudad del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $15.00 in Ciudad del Este. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 123% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad del Este, where all-in costs run around $379, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Ciudad del Este it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ciudad del Este – 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 Ciudad del Este. 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.