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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,604 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,864 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $5,124 in Douglas.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 15% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Douglas 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$29.73 IMP 22.09

-46.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$109 IMP 81.2

-40.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$9.73 IMP 7.23

8.02%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.49 IMP 4.08

-47.72%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.85 IMP 2.12

-21.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.93 IMP 1.43

-22.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$6.68 IMP 4.96

-47.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$6.06 IMP 4.50

-35.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.91 IMP 1.42

-40.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.03 IMP 1.51

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-12.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.36 IMP 3.24

-26.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$6.87 IMP 5.10

96.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.29 IMP 6.16

-4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$11.59 IMP 8.61

36.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.40 IMP 1.78

-3.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.74 IMP 1.29

-2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.61 IMP 1.94

-22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.87 IMP 2.13

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.31 IMP 1.72

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.62 IMP 1.94

-23.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.59 IMP 1.18

21.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.06 IMP 1.53

-61.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$22.58 IMP 16.78

-70.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$11.84 IMP 8.80

-51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$4.00 IMP 2.97

-65.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.81 IMP 2.83

-22.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.96 IMP 2.20

-19.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$76.0 IMP 56.5

-40.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.36 IMP 3.98

-19.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.53 IMP 1.14

-46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$80.1 IMP 59.5

-77.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.26 IMP 1.68

-8.85%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$35.0K IMP 26.0K

-2.07%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$35.2K IMP 26.2K

11.63%

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

$148 €127

$302 IMP 224

-51.04%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$37.84 IMP 28.12

-45.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$70.4 IMP 52.3

-43.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$63.0 IMP 46.79

-24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$20.20 IMP 15.01

-6.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$13.73 IMP 10.20

-33.14%

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

$614 €529

$1,302 IMP 967

-52.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$31.7K IMP 23.6K

-49.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$93.3 IMP 69.3

12.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$42.35 IMP 31.47

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$125 IMP 92.7

-24.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$76.0 IMP 56.5

57.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,206 IMP 896

34.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,085 IMP 806

15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$2,157 IMP 1,603

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,951 IMP 1,450

3.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$4,141 IMP 3,077

88.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$3,108 IMP 2,310

37.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$2,996 IMP 2,226

-46.49%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Douglas: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,206 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 87% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $109 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $304 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Douglas earns 87% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,206 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,604 in Douglas – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 67% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,604 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 18% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.