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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,203 in Drama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,824 in Drama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,445 in Drama.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 85% more expensive than Drama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Drama is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$13.40 €11.47

20.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$46.13 €39.49

39.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.21 €7.89

12.70%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.75 €2.35

0.73%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.62 €1.39

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.56 €0.48

180.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$3.57 €3.05

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.50 €3.85

-11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.52 €1.30

-28.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.56 €1.33

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.14 €0.97

52.63%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$4.01 €3.44

-20.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$12.19 €10.43

10.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$9.67 €8.28

-17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.31 €11.40

20.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.48 €1.27

54.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.44 €1.23

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.07 €0.91

81.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.03 €1.74

25.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.01 €0.86

81.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.22 €1.04

67.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.04 €0.89

90.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.49 €0.42

73.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.23 €4.48

30.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$5.39 €4.62

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.95 €0.81

44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.07 €1.78

40.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.58 €1.35

44.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$46.82 €40.08

0.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$7.39 €6.32

-44.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$13.42 €11.49

36.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$2.04 €1.75

-1.47%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$35.1K €30.0K

0.55%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$29.3K €25.1K

31.33%

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

$145 €124

$176 €151

-17.44%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$23.58 €20.18

-11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$31.73 €27.16

26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$38.13 €32.64

27.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$25.80 €22.08

-27.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$8.28 €7.09

9.42%

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

$607 €519

$507 €434

19.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,486 €4,696

197.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$114 €97.3

-7.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$23.24 €19.89

76.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$63.1 €54.0

48.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$68.6 €58.7

72.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$315 €269

409.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$302 €259

308.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$524 €449

480.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$424 €363

384.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,556 €1,332

395.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$3,464 €2,965

23.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,221 €1,045

29.73%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Drama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $315 in Drama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 30% 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 $46.00 in Drama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $242 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 30% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $315 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 0% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $507 in Drama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,203 in Drama versus $2,227 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 85% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.