Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cuenca Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cuenca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $891 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,325 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,759 in Cuenca, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 148% more than Cuenca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Cuenca is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.40 $3.40

367.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$24.57 $24.57

163.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.13 $7.13

47.41%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.48 $2.48

15.73%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.83 $0.83

169.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.70 $0.70

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.98 $1.98

76.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.58 $3.58

8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.13 $1.13

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.61 $1.61

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.53 $1.53

15.03%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.09 $2.09

54.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.43 $5.43

148.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.48 $5.48

44.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.25 $6.25

153.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.47 $1.47

57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.05 $1.05

61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.23 $1.23

63.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.06 $1.06

132.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.53 $1.53

20.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.06 $1.06

88.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.46 $0.46

319.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.04 $1.04

-24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$5.70 $5.70

15.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$10.33 $10.33

-44.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.43 $1.43

-4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.30 $3.30

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.33 $0.33

618.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$26.98 $26.98

68.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.68 $0.68

530.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.99 $0.99

-17.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$13.64 $13.64

34.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.63 $0.63

226.98%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$30.4K $30.4K

12.68%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$28.3K $28.3K

39.01%

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

$148 €127

$39.61 $39.61

273.31%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$13.71 $13.71

49.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$31.29 $31.29

26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$29.47 $29.47

62.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$5.30 $5.30

256.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.46 $7.46

23.06%

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

$614 €528

$250 $250

145.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$5,599 $5,599

186.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$55.2 $55.2

89.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$54.5 $54.5

-22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$99.7 $99.7

-5.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$65.6 $65.6

82.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$370 $370

339.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$325 $325

286.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$674 $674

349.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$503 $503

301.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,245 $1,245

526.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$827 $827

416.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$537 $537

198.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.48

-66.81%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $370 in Cuenca. 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 199% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $25.00 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $184 – making Cuenca 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 Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 148%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,336 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $25.00 in Cuenca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $891 in Cuenca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Cuenca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cuenca – 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 Cuenca. 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.