Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Darwin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Darwin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,658 in Darwin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,904 in Darwin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $5,150 in Darwin.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Darwin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Darwin 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$17.63 A$25.26

-8.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$81.6 A$117

-22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$12.31 A$17.64

-16.17%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.44 A$4.93

-17.73%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.67 A$3.83

-14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$3.16 A$4.52

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$6.63 A$9.49

-48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$7.63 A$10.94

-47.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.19 A$1.71

-8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.71 A$3.89

-35.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.13 A$3.05

-17.37%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.99 A$5.71

-20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$10.00 A$14.32

31.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$8.14 A$11.66

-2.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$8.24 A$11.80

88.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.73 A$5.34

-36.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.82 A$4.04

-39.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.53 A$5.06

-43.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$4.35 A$6.23

-44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.16 A$4.53

-44.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.17 A$3.10

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.19 A$3.14

-12.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$2.42 A$3.47

-64.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$25.00 A$35.82

-73.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$11.63 A$16.67

-52.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$9.52 A$13.63

-86.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$6.97 A$9.99

-57.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.23 A$3.19

2.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$45.01 A$64.5

1.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.46 A$4.96

22.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.18 A$1.69

-31.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$45.83 A$65.7

-59.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.12 A$1.60

85.71%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$28.4K A$40.7K

22.09%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$31.9K A$45.7K

22.83%

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

$148 €130

$234 A$335

-36.76%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$34.55 A$49.49

-40.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$59.0 A$84.5

-32.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$74.0 A$106

-35.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$15.73 A$22.54

18.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$15.89 A$22.77

-41.98%

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

$616 €539

$1,537 A$2,202

-59.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$7,811 A$11.2K

110.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$77.6 A$111

32.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$45.34 A$65.0

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$101 A$145

-6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$131 A$187

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$1,653 A$2,368

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$1,315 A$1,884

-6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$2,711 A$3,885

14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$2,275 A$3,259

-10.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$3,800 A$5,444

106.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$3,390 A$4,858

29.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$4,224 A$6,052

-61.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.4

-40.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Darwin: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,653 in Darwin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Darwin pays 163% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $82.0 in Darwin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $367 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Darwin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 163% lower in Darwin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,653 in Darwin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Darwin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $82.0 in Darwin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Darwin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Darwin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Darwin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.