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 $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $1,473 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $2,088 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $2,702 in Cuenca, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 50% more than Cuenca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lisbon and Cuenca sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Cuenca by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$16.99 €14.63

-7.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$46.08 €39.68

35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$9.20 €7.93

14.57%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$2.20 €1.90

25.91%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$2.05 €1.76

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.58 €1.36

-1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.25 €1.94

57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.41 €2.94

16.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.02 €0.88

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.43 €1.23

23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.43 €1.23

23.78%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.59 €2.23

20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$16.30 €14.04

-18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$9.65 €8.31

-17.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$14.08 €12.13

13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.84 €2.45

-19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.52 €1.31

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.57 €1.35

26.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.27 €2.82

-25.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.75 €1.50

1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.95 €1.68

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.37 €1.18

43.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.12 €0.97

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.80 €5.00

12.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$4.59 €3.95

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.18 €1.02

11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.71 €1.47

74.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.26 €1.08

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$34.22 €29.47

33.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$4.71 €4.06

-9.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.04 €0.89

-19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$29.17 €25.12

-35.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.80 €1.55

15.00%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$39.2K €33.7K

-10.04%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$30.5K €26.3K

26.42%

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

$151 €130

$134 €116

12.55%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$19.16 €16.50

9.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$27.62 €23.78

43.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$46.32 €39.89

4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$14.56 €12.54

27.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$8.53 €7.34

5.98%

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

$610 €525

$348 €300

75.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$9,868 €8,498

64.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$71.1 €61.3

42.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$40.05 €34.49

1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$99.4 €85.6

-6.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$114 €98.1

4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$705 €607

127.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$520 €447

138.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$815 €702

270.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$641 €552

221.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$3,488 €3,004

128.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$2,286 €1,968

98.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,459 €1,256

11.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.62

5.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $705 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 12% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $46.00 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Lisbon vs $273 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: $2,217 in Lisbon, $1,473 in Cuenca – roughly 50% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $2,210 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 $610 per month in Lisbon and $348 in Cuenca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $1,473, than in Lisbon at $2,217. 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 $1,473 in Cuenca to $2,217 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.