Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Desamparados Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Desamparados

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,538 in Desamparados, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,337 in Desamparados, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $3,136 in Desamparados, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 44% more than Desamparados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Desamparados sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Desamparados by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$9.83 ₡4,492

61.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$51.3 ₡23.5K

26.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$10.14 ₡4,631

3.65%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.81 ₡1,743

-24.67%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.07 ₡944

8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.65 ₡754

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.95 ₡1,350

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.70 ₡2,147

-17.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.03 ₡928

-43.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.84 ₡1,298

-38.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.15 ₡982

-18.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.92 ₡1,333

10.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.76 ₡4,458

38.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.36 ₡4,277

-15.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$13.72 ₡6,269

15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.39 ₡2,006

-47.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.47 ₡670

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$4.19 ₡1,913

-52.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.17 ₡1,448

-22.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$3.29 ₡1,505

-44.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.06 ₡1,399

-34.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.03 ₡471

87.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.94 ₡1,345

-73.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$5.06 ₡2,313

30.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$18.44 ₡8,427

-68.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.28 ₡1,040

-39.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.61 ₡1,194

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.96 ₡437

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.80 ₡821

138.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.80 ₡823

-54.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$7.70 ₡3,518

137.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.41 ₡643

46.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.1K ₡16.9M

-7.51%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.6K ₡14.9M

20.51%

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

$148 €127

$95.6 ₡43.7K

54.76%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$26.01 ₡11.9K

-21.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$52.4 ₡24.0K

-24.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$57.9 ₡26.4K

-17.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$24.09 ₡11.0K

-21.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$9.87 ₡4,510

-6.99%

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

$614 €529

$535 ₡244.3K

14.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

28.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$61.8 ₡28.2K

69.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$50.7 ₡23.2K

-17.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$125 ₡57.3K

-25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$107 ₡48.9K

11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$764 ₡349.2K

112.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$588 ₡268.6K

113.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,518 ₡693.5K

99.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$967 ₡441.6K

109.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Desamparados: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $764 in Desamparados. 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $51.0 in Desamparados. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $359 in Desamparados – 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 Desamparados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $1,538 in Desamparados – roughly 44% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,308 in Desamparados. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Desamparados, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon and $51.0 in Desamparados. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% 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 Desamparados, where all-in costs run around $1,538, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Desamparados 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 $1,538 in Desamparados to $2,210 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 Desamparados. 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.