Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,549 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,879 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $5,209 in Douglas.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 10% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Douglas 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$29.68 IMP 22.08

-45.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$108 IMP 80.1

-41.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$9.72 IMP 7.23

6.17%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$5.29 IMP 3.94

-46.50%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.80 IMP 2.08

-18.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.89 IMP 1.40

-16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$6.58 IMP 4.89

-48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$6.08 IMP 4.53

-33.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.99 IMP 1.48

-45.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.00 IMP 1.49

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.95 IMP 1.45

-9.74%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.16 IMP 3.10

-23.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$6.60 IMP 4.91

99.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$8.14 IMP 6.05

-2.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$11.70 IMP 8.71

32.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.32 IMP 1.73

2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.78 IMP 1.33

-3.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.59 IMP 1.93

-22.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.87 IMP 2.13

-15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.27 IMP 1.69

-22.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.49 IMP 1.85

-18.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.64 IMP 1.22

17.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$2.03 IMP 1.51

-58.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$22.61 IMP 16.82

-70.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$12.20 IMP 9.07

-54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$4.14 IMP 3.08

-67.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.63 IMP 2.70

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.91 IMP 2.17

-21.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$75.5 IMP 56.2

-39.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.17 IMP 3.84

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.47 IMP 1.09

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$82.6 IMP 61.5

-77.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.19 IMP 1.63

-5.02%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$35.2K IMP 26.2K

-1.45%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$34.8K IMP 25.9K

12.54%

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

$148 €130

$309 IMP 230

-52.08%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$38.89 IMP 28.94

-47.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$71.6 IMP 53.3

-44.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$65.1 IMP 48.45

-26.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$20.34 IMP 15.14

-8.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$13.43 IMP 9.99

-31.35%

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

$616 €539

$1,290 IMP 960

-52.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$32.0K IMP 23.8K

-48.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$94.2 IMP 70.1

9.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$42.16 IMP 31.36

-1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$122 IMP 90.7

-22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$76.1 IMP 56.6

60.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$1,216 IMP 905

34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$1,096 IMP 815

12.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$2,148 IMP 1,598

44.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$1,944 IMP 1,446

4.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$4,046 IMP 3,010

93.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$3,147 IMP 2,341

39.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$3,052 IMP 2,271

-47.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.66

4.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Douglas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,216 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $108 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $302 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Douglas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,216 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $2,549 in Douglas – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 65% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,549 in Douglas, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Douglas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.