Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cromwell

For one person, living is cheaper in Cromwell: $2,011 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Cromwell, New Zealand
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Cromwell
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$2,011
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Cromwell

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,011 in Cromwell.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Cromwell $2,011

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,881 in Cromwell.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Cromwell $2,881

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,751 in Cromwell.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Cromwell $3,751

Living in Lisbon is roughly 10% more expensive than in Cromwell, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Cromwell 48% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$14.42 NZ$25.61
15.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$62.5 NZ$111
-1.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$11.51 NZ$20.43
-1.30%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.26 NZ$5.79
-8.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.15 NZ$3.81
6.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.05 NZ$3.65
-15.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$6.68 NZ$11.86
-49.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$6.29 NZ$11.16
-47.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$2.11 NZ$3.75
-45.02%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.94 NZ$3.45
-1.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.69 NZ$3.01
-10.65%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$5.81 NZ$10.31
-30.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$8.65 NZ$15.36
49.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$9.37 NZ$16.64
-17.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$16.61 NZ$29.48
6.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.07 NZ$5.45
-25.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.32 NZ$4.12
-25.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.18 NZ$5.64
-41.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$5.02 NZ$8.91
-48.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.85 NZ$3.29
-1.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.81 NZ$3.21
8.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.28 NZ$4.05
-35.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.60 NZ$1.06
20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$21.12 NZ$37.50
-68.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$8.94 NZ$15.87
-37.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$3.15 NZ$5.59
-56.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.21 NZ$2.15
76.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.88 NZ$3.33
23.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$93.3 NZ$166
-52.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.22 NZ$3.94
73.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$2.09 NZ$3.71
-48.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$28.85 NZ$51.2
-42.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.83 NZ$3.25
20.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$28.2K NZ$50.0K
21.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$22.8K NZ$40.5K
69.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$110 NZ$195
46.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$28.58 NZ$50.7
-35.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$52.9 NZ$93.9
-38.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$39.41 NZ$70.0
13.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$7.00 NZ$12.43
172.86%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$8.35 NZ$14.82
14.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$796 NZ$1,413
-16.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$12.4K NZ$22.1K
41.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$59.8 NZ$106
70.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$35.97 NZ$63.9
23.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$90.7 NZ$161
8.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$134 NZ$237
-7.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$1,013 NZ$1,798
58.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$932 NZ$1,655
27.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$1,638 NZ$2,908
71.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$1,292 NZ$2,293
55.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$4,771 NZ$8,470
64.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$3,354 NZ$5,955
36.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Cromwell
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$3,034 NZ$5,387
-48.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.6
-41.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Cromwell: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Cromwell
$932 21.7% $258
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Cromwell
$322 18.2% $49
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Cromwell
$252 3.8% $9.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Cromwell
$192 9.8% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Cromwell
$144 13.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Cromwell
$56 12% $7.6
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Cromwell
$113 79.5% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,013 in Cromwell. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cromwell pays 93% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $63 in Cromwell for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $322 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇿 Cromwell
🕒 Local time
19:38 7:38 PM
08:38 8:38 AM
13 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
5,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Cromwell 19,300 km ≈ 25 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Cromwell

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 Cromwell: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cromwell cheaper than Lisbon?
Cromwell is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in clothing and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Cromwell?
On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Cromwell?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,013 in Cromwell. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $796 in Cromwell. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 52% less than in Cromwell. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $2,500 enough for either Lisbon or Cromwell?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Cromwell gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Cromwell?
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.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Cromwell?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Cromwell are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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