Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Crema

For one person, living is cheaper in Crema: $1,567 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Crema, Italy
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Crema
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,567
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Crema

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 Crema actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,567 in Crema, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Crema $1,567

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,100 in Crema, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Crema $2,100

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $2,633 in Crema, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Crema $2,633

Lisbon costs about 41% more than Crema, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lisbon and Crema sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Crema by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$17.06 €15.32
-2.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$56.6 €50.8
9.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$10.18 €9.14
11.59%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$1.67 €1.50
77.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$3.68 €3.31
-37.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.53 €1.38
13.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$5.71 €5.13
-40.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.65 €5.07
-41.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.13 €1.01
2.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.69 €1.52
13.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.78 €2.50
-45.68%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$3.40 €3.06
18.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$12.51 €11.24
3.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$8.86 €7.96
-12.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$15.62 €14.03
13.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$2.29 €2.06
0.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.36 €1.22
27.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.41 €1.26
31.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$2.33 €2.09
11.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.36 €1.23
33.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.52 €1.37
29.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.30 €1.17
13.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.40 €0.36
80.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$7.01 €6.30
-6.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$5.67 €5.10
-1.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.36 €1.22
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.02 €0.92
109.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$4.52 €4.06
-14.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.20 €1.08
-10.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$34.31 €30.82
-52.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.95 €1.76
12.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$36.7K €33.0K
-6.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$35.2K €31.6K
10.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$271 €243
-40.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$10.17 €9.14
81.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$28.16 €25.29
16.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$27.81 €24.98
-31.32%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$12.96 €11.64
-25.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$556 €499
20.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$10.2K €9,173
72.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$54.6 €49.06
86.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$44.35 €39.84
0.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$89.2 €80.2
10.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$90.4 €81.2
36.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$734 €659
119.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$592 €532
100.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,241 €1,114
126.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$548 €492
267.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Crema
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$2,315 €2,080
-31.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.62
6.35%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Crema: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Crema
$592 50.2% $598
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Crema
$256 6.1% $17
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Crema
$248 2.1% $5.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Crema
$309 45.6% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Crema
$125 24.4% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Crema
$26 * 59.3% $38
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Crema
$11 * 83.3% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $734 in Crema. 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 47% higher in Crema, 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 $62 in Lisbon versus $57 in Crema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $256 – making Crema the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇹 Crema
🕒 Local time
22:54 10:54 PM
23:54 11:54 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
32,981
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Crema 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Crema

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 Crema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crema cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 41%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,350 in Crema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Crema, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $734 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Crema?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $57 in Crema. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Crema?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Lisbon or in Crema?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,567 in Crema. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Lisbon or Crema more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Crema – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Crema?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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