Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cortona Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cortona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,709 in Cortona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $2,560 in Cortona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $3,411 in Cortona, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 33% more than Cortona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Cortona sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Cortona by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$13.92 €12.14

13.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$75.2 €65.5

-15.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$11.60 €10.12

-9.91%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$1.75 €1.53

66.29%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.53 €2.20

-9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.26 €1.10

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$5.87 €5.12

-39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$5.07 €4.42

-21.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.69 €1.48

-36.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.15 €1.87

-18.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$3.11 €2.71

-45.34%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$4.56 €3.98

-28.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$17.35 €15.13

-23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$11.93 €10.40

-35.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$20.44 €17.82

-22.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.36 €2.06

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$2.25 €1.96

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.01 €1.75

0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.67 €2.33

-7.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.80 €1.57

-0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.85 €1.62

11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.26 €1.10

56.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.55 €0.48

50.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$6.97 €6.08

-6.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$10.34 €9.02

-46.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.84 €1.61

-27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$2.78 €2.42

8.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.76 €1.53

28.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

$42.78 €37.30

8.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$5.27 €4.59

-19.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.42 €1.24

-40.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$34.09 €29.72

-44.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.93 €1.68

4.66%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$28.8K €25.1K

21.48%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$29.3K €25.5K

35.43%

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

$148 €129

$219 €191

-32.48%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$10.80 €9.41

90.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$30.54 €26.63

29.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$55.1 €48.05

-12.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$23.11 €20.15

-20.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$11.65 €10.16

-21.89%

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

$615 €536

$288 €251

113.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$10.7K €9,291

52.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$74.9 €65.3

35.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$34.38 €29.98

22.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$85.3 €74.3

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$123 €107

-0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$764 €666

111.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$587 €512

113.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$1,200 €1,046

155.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$919 €801

121.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

$2,360 €2,057

228.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

$2,846 €2,481

50.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$3,224 €2,810

-50.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.95

-3.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cortona: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $764 in Cortona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Cortona, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $75.0 in Cortona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $345 – making Lisbon 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 Cortona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon, $1,709 in Cortona – roughly 33% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $2,564 in Cortona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cortona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Cortona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Lisbon and $288 in Cortona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cortona, where all-in costs run around $1,709, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Cortona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,709 in Cortona to $2,280 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Cortona. 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.