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

Name: Cuenca
Address: Cuenca, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,730 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $2,505 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $3,279 in Cuenca, rent included.

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

Both Lisbon and Cuenca sit above the global median – Lisbon by 68%, Cuenca by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$17.40 €15.17

1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$47.36 €41.29

32.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$9.46 €8.25

22.41%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.12 €1.85

46.23%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.42 €2.11

2.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.61 €1.41

8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.39 €2.08

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.55 €3.09

-3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.06 €0.93

8.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.10 €1.83

-9.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.55 €1.35

-3.23%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.49 €2.17

59.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$16.75 €14.60

-20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$9.51 €8.29

-15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$21.53 €18.77

-16.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.82 €2.46

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.49 €2.17

-29.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.56 €2.23

-27.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.13 €2.72

-18.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.00 €1.75

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.35 €2.05

-10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.93 €1.69

-22.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.68 €0.60

20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$6.40 €5.58

10.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$4.58 €4.00

29.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.02 €0.89

28.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.28 €1.99

-6.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.68 €1.46

40.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$33.83 €29.49

37.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.46 €2.14

65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.11 €0.97

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$30.47 €26.56

-43.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.78 €1.55

29.78%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$36.0K €31.4K

-5.12%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$30.6K €26.7K

35.11%

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

$169 €147

$167 €146

0.95%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$11.64 €10.15

66.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$22.23 €19.38

50.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$40.69 €35.47

20.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$17.09 €14.90

13.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$9.25 €8.06

3.46%

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

$696 €607

$352 €307

97.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$8,204 €7,151

111.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$93.6 €81.6

12.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$40.55 €35.35

17.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$101 €88.4

-0.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$118 €103

5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$920 €802

80.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$703 €613

77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,415 €1,233

109.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,043 €909

96.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$3,446 €3,004

127.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,325 €2,026

92.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$1,450 €1,264

12.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.46

9.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $920 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 13% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $47.00 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Lisbon vs $311 in Cuenca – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon, $1,730 in Cuenca – roughly 33% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $2,595 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.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Lisbon and $352 in Cuenca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $1,730, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Cuenca 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 $1,730 in Cuenca to $2,296 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 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.