Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Drama Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Drama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,199 in Drama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,829 in Drama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,458 in Drama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 89% more expensive than Drama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Drama is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$13.46 €11.59

18.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$45.74 €39.41

38.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$9.22 €7.94

12.58%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.75 €2.37

1.45%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.70 €1.46

37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.57 €0.49

175.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.56 €3.07

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.76 €4.10

-17.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.49 €1.28

-27.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.55 €1.34

14.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.18 €1.02

44.92%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$4.16 €3.58

-24.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$12.17 €10.48

12.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$9.55 €8.23

-16.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.20 €11.38

17.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.43 €1.23

60.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.49 €1.29

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.12 €0.97

73.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.92 €1.65

30.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.01 €0.87

77.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.28 €1.10

57.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.03 €0.89

91.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.45 €0.39

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$5.12 €4.41

32.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.13 €4.42

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.00 €0.87

39.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.09 €1.80

44.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.54 €1.33

47.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$46.97 €40.47

-3.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$7.06 €6.09

-39.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$13.50 €11.63

35.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.02 €1.74

-1.49%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$34.5K €29.7K

1.60%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$29.3K €25.2K

34.95%

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

$146 €126

$180 €155

-18.80%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$24.17 €20.82

-15.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$30.77 €26.51

26.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$38.18 €32.89

28.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$26.13 €22.51

-27.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$8.01 €6.90

18.85%

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

$608 €524

$524 €452

15.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$5,470 €4,713

201.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$113 €97.5

-8.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$23.42 €20.18

79.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$63.1 €54.4

46.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$69.5 €59.9

72.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$319 €275

407.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$310 €267

308.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$525 €452

481.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$423 €364

374.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,545 €1,331

395.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$3,408 €2,937

27.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,195 €1,030

32.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.34

-12.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Drama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $319 in Drama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 33% 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 $46.00 in Drama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $240 per month, with Drama 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 Drama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 33% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $319 in Drama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Drama runs roughly 3% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $524 in Drama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,199 in Drama versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drama but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Drama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Drama 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 Drama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.