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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $2,278 in Denver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $3,284 in Denver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $4,289 in Denver, rent included.

Lisbon and Denver have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Lisbon and Denver sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Denver by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$16.28 A$23.11

-3.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$78.1 A$111

-18.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$9.69 A$13.75

7.84%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.45 A$4.89

-15.65%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$2.50 A$3.54

-8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.13 A$3.02

-29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$6.64 A$9.42

-46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$7.24 A$10.27

-45.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.45 A$2.05

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.41 A$3.42

-26.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.95 A$2.77

-12.82%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$4.26 A$6.04

-23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$8.54 A$12.11

55.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$8.18 A$11.60

-5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$13.62 A$19.33

15.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.17 A$4.50

-28.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.77 A$3.93

-40.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$3.01 A$4.27

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$4.05 A$5.75

-39.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$2.41 A$3.42

-25.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.17 A$3.09

-4.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.16 A$3.06

-8.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.51 A$2.14

-45.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$30.92 A$43.87

-78.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$12.45 A$17.66

-55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$4.47 A$6.35

-70.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$5.41 A$7.68

-44.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$2.58 A$3.66

-12.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$65.1 A$92.4

-28.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.55 A$5.04

19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.60 A$2.28

-46.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$33.63 A$47.72

-44.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.19 A$1.68

69.75%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$29.0K A$41.1K

20.59%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$22.3K A$31.7K

77.45%

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

$148 €128

$180 A$256

-17.90%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$26.97 A$38.26

-23.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$51.7 A$73.3

-23.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$49.21 A$69.8

-2.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$15.47 A$21.95

18.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$12.89 A$18.29

-29.40%

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

$615 €532

$1,601 A$2,272

-61.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$11.9K A$16.9K

36.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$69.1 A$98.0

47.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$50.9 A$72.3

-17.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$97.7 A$139

-5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$107 A$151

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$1,254 A$1,780

28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$1,051 A$1,491

19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$2,013 A$2,857

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,685 A$2,391

20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$6,211 A$8,812

24.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$5,245 A$7,442

-18.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Denver: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $1,254 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $78.0 in Denver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $332 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $3,417 in Denver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $78.0 in Denver. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Denver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Denver, where all-in costs run around $2,278, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Denver 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 $2,278 in Denver to $2,280 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 Denver. 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.