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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,675 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $4,123 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $5,570 in Douglas.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 13% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Douglas 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$28.31 IMP 20.92

-38.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$121 IMP 89.7

-47.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$12.34 IMP 9.12

-7.70%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$5.10 IMP 3.77

-37.45%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$2.84 IMP 2.10

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.12 IMP 1.57

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$6.63 IMP 4.90

-45.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$6.18 IMP 4.57

-45.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$2.52 IMP 1.86

-50.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.75 IMP 2.03

-28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.07 IMP 1.53

-26.57%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$5.57 IMP 4.12

-27.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$7.99 IMP 5.90

69.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$8.62 IMP 6.37

-2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$12.95 IMP 9.57

40.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.08 IMP 2.28

-25.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.88 IMP 1.39

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.95 IMP 2.92

-52.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.56 IMP 2.63

-26.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.11 IMP 2.30

-38.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$3.10 IMP 2.29

-32.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.10 IMP 1.55

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.69 IMP 1.99

-68.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$22.65 IMP 16.74

-70.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$12.00 IMP 8.87

-52.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$4.48 IMP 3.31

-69.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$4.47 IMP 3.31

-50.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.91 IMP 2.15

-17.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$99.0 IMP 73.2

-52.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$5.12 IMP 3.79

-18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.53 IMP 1.13

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$82.4 IMP 60.9

-78.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.93 IMP 1.43

20.21%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$45.0K IMP 33.2K

-21.39%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$45.4K IMP 33.6K

-8.78%

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

$170 €147

$349 IMP 258

-51.19%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$64.4 IMP 47.56

-69.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$74.9 IMP 55.4

-55.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$67.7 IMP 50.0

-28.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$20.24 IMP 14.96

-1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$16.14 IMP 11.93

-38.54%

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

$717 €619

$1,805 IMP 1,334

-60.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$53.2K IMP 39.3K

-67.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$102 IMP 75.5

2.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$44.95 IMP 33.22

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$112 IMP 82.6

-7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$71.6 IMP 52.9

73.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$1,245 IMP 920

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$1,087 IMP 803

16.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$2,363 IMP 1,746

26.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$2,056 IMP 1,519

-3.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$5,018 IMP 3,708

55.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$3,922 IMP 2,899

18.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$2,993 IMP 2,212

-47.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

4.76

-20.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Douglas: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,245 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 89% 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 $121 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $361 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,245 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $2,675 in Douglas – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 112% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,675 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 15% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.