Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $883 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,210

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David

🇵🇦 Panama

$883

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in David

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

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $883 in David, rent included.

Lisbon $2,210
David $883

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $949 in David, rent included.

Lisbon $3,275
David $949

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $1,014 in David, rent included.

Lisbon $4,341
David $1,014

Lisbon costs about 150% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while David is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 €14.91

$5.65 PAB 5.65

194.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 €55.3

$37.37 PAB 37.37

65.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €10.17

$7.11 PAB 7.11

59.77%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.66

$3.28 PAB 3.28

-9.45%

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

$2.29 €2.05

$1.53 PAB 1.53

49.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.56

$1.48 PAB 1.48

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €3.05

$2.05 PAB 2.05

65.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.96

$2.68 PAB 2.68

23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.04

$1.77 PAB 1.77

-34.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.71

$2.14 PAB 2.14

-10.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 €1.35

$2.44 PAB 2.44

-38.11%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.60

$2.39 PAB 2.39

68.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 €11.59

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 €6.96

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 €15.91

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.06

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.55

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.32

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.63

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.32

$1.94 PAB 1.94

-24.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.90

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €5.02

$9.86 PAB 9.86

-43.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.09

$0.72 PAB 0.72

223.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.68 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 €3.45

$3.01 PAB 3.01

27.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.96

$2.04 PAB 2.04

-47.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 €14.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.97

$1.07 PAB 1.07

105.61%

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

$34.2K €30.6K

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

39.17%

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

$38.7K €34.7K

$30.0K PAB 30.0K

29.07%

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

$161 €144

$185 PAB 185

-13.07%

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

$18.41 €16.49

$28.76 PAB 28.76

-35.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.74 €29.32

$48.59 PAB 48.59

-32.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €39.90

$30.61 PAB 30.61

45.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 €17.10

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.60

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

$668 €598

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.8K

$5,960 PAB 5,960

195.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €91.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 €39.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €88.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 €1,440

$347 PAB 347

363.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,066

$354 PAB 354

236.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 €2,519

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,803

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 €7,021

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,576 €4,098

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 €1,411

$598 PAB 598

163.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

-45.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for David: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$272 12.3%

David

–

Eating Out

Lisbon

$243 11%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$212 9.6%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$64 2.9%

David

–

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $347 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lisbon are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $37 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $86 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

04:45 4:45 AM

23:45 11:45 PM

5 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

82,907

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Lisbon David 7,970 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
David

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 150%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,324 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $347 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.

Groceries cost about 217% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $37 in David. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In David 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 $883 in David to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with David. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.