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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $1,717 in Cortona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $2,603 in Cortona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $3,488 in Cortona, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 32% more than Cortona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Cortona sit above the global median – Lisbon by 68%, Cortona by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$13.87 €11.95

14.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$75.0 €64.6

-15.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$11.72 €10.10

-11.43%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.81 €1.56

54.14%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.41 €2.08

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.24 €1.07

26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$5.81 €5.01

-40.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$5.06 €4.36

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.77 €1.52

-38.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.19 €1.89

-19.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.98 €2.57

-42.62%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$4.41 €3.80

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$17.37 €14.97

-21.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$11.63 €10.02

-31.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$20.05 €17.27

-22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.44 €2.11

-6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.27 €1.96

-27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.99 €1.72

-2.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.59 €2.23

-3.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.71 €1.47

4.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.85 €1.59

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.33 €1.14

48.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.51 €0.44

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$8.53 €7.35

-33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.87 €1.61

-25.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.65 €2.29

13.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.76 €1.52

28.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$43.72 €37.67

3.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$5.28 €4.55

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.45 €1.25

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$34.13 €29.41

-46.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.93 €1.66

3.11%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$28.7K €24.7K

22.25%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$29.8K €25.7K

32.56%

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

$146 €126

$221 €191

-33.94%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$11.15 €9.60

83.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$30.64 €26.40

27.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$54.2 €46.72

-9.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$23.36 €20.13

-19.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$11.54 €9.94

-17.50%

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

$608 €524

$292 €252

108.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$10.8K €9,280

53.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$74.7 €64.3

39.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$35.14 €30.28

19.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$86.7 €74.7

6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$121 €104

-0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$752 €648

115.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$581 €500

118.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,215 €1,047

150.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$934 €805

115.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,385 €2,055

221.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$2,921 €2,517

48.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$3,224 €2,778

-50.85%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cortona: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $752 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 103% 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: $269 vs $338 – 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: $2,263 in Lisbon, $1,717 in Cortona – roughly 32% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $2,576 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 4% less in Cortona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $608 per month in Lisbon and $292 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 $1,717, than in Lisbon at $2,263. 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 $1,717 in Cortona to $2,263 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.