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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,705 in Desamparados, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,710 in Desamparados, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $3,715 in Desamparados, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 33% more than Desamparados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Desamparados sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Desamparados by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$12.13 ₡5,428

44.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$58.2 ₡26.0K

10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.57 ₡5,177

0.69%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.32 ₡1,932

-24.54%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.65 ₡1,188

-6.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.96 ₡875

-14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.25 ₡1,453

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.37 ₡1,955

-18.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.38 ₡1,064

-50.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.85 ₡1,274

-31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.44 ₡1,091

-36.07%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.59 ₡1,609

11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$10.72 ₡4,799

23.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$10.57 ₡4,733

-20.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$14.48 ₡6,479

25.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$5.18 ₡2,320

-55.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.65 ₡739

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.49 ₡1,562

-44.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$3.49 ₡1,562

-24.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$3.01 ₡1,347

-36.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$3.08 ₡1,379

-31.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.14 ₡509

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.76 ₡1,233

-71.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$5.62 ₡2,514

24.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$17.02 ₡7,619

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.69 ₡1,204

-49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.67 ₡1,194

-19.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.36 ₡610

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.50 ₡1,120

67.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.66 ₡741

-33.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.68 ₡3,884

98.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.48 ₡662

52.03%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$21.6K ₡9.6M

59.87%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$34.4K ₡15.4M

21.00%

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

$171 €147

$97.6 ₡43.7K

75.01%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$30.20 ₡13.5K

-37.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$61.0 ₡27.3K

-43.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$74.9 ₡33.5K

-33.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.16 ₡3,654

23.77%

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

$699 €603

$834 ₡373.4K

-16.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$17.5K ₡7.8M

1.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$71.5 ₡32.0K

46.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$56.2 ₡25.1K

-14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$132 ₡59.1K

-22.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$132 ₡59.1K

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$798 ₡356.9K

108.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$638 ₡285.7K

92.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$1,863 ₡834.0K

56.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$1,289 ₡576.8K

57.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.78

-56.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Desamparados: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $798 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $58.0 in Desamparados. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Lisbon vs $378 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: $2,268 in Lisbon, $1,705 in Desamparados – roughly 33% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,557 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 $64.0 in Lisbon and $58.0 in Desamparados. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Desamparados, where all-in costs run around $1,705, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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 $1,705 in Desamparados to $2,268 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.