Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Denver Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Denver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $2,252 in Denver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $3,304 in Denver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $4,355 in Denver, rent included.

Lisbon is about 2% cheaper than Denver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Denver sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Denver by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$15.98 A$22.61

-1.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$78.9 A$112

-20.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$9.98 A$14.11

5.61%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$3.40 A$4.81

-18.53%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$2.50 A$3.54

-8.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$2.21 A$3.12

-29.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$6.66 A$9.43

-46.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$6.99 A$9.88

-43.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.43 A$2.02

-24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.35 A$3.32

-24.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.96 A$2.77

-9.69%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$4.45 A$6.30

-29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$8.68 A$12.28

53.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$8.43 A$11.93

-5.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$13.57 A$19.20

17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.33 A$4.71

-31.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$2.74 A$3.88

-40.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.97 A$4.20

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.08 A$5.78

-39.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.40 A$3.40

-26.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.17 A$3.07

-9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.17 A$3.08

-9.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.57 A$2.21

-49.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$30.42 A$43.04

-78.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$12.78 A$18.08

-55.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$4.47 A$6.33

-70.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$5.26 A$7.44

-43.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.55 A$3.61

-8.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$63.8 A$90.2

-28.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$3.68 A$5.20

15.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.60 A$2.26

-47.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$33.77 A$47.78

-44.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.18 A$1.66

75.42%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$28.9K A$40.9K

21.85%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$22.3K A$31.5K

73.37%

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

$151 €130

$181 A$256

-16.50%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$27.69 A$39.17

-24.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$52.7 A$74.6

-25.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$49.63 A$70.2

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$15.82 A$22.39

17.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$12.99 A$18.37

-30.41%

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

$610 €525

$1,614 A$2,284

-62.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$11.9K A$16.8K

37.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$69.1 A$97.8

46.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$50.9 A$72.0

-20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$101 A$142

-7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$107 A$152

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,272 A$1,799

26.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$1,046 A$1,480

18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$2,051 A$2,901

47.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,705 A$2,412

20.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$6,685 A$9,458

19.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$5,333 A$7,545

-15.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.34

-39.91%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Denver: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,272 in Denver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $79.0 in Denver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $335 – making Lisbon 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 Denver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon, $2,252 in Denver – roughly 2% apart. Denver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $3,378 in Denver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 39% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $610 per month in Lisbon and $1,614 in Denver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,217, than in Denver at $2,252. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Denver 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 $2,217 in Lisbon to $2,252 in Denver. 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 Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Denver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.