Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dundalk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dundalk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,664 in Dundalk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,847 in Dundalk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $5,029 in Dundalk.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Dundalk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Dundalk 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$18.64 €16.25

-5.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$91.9 €80.1

-31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.35 €9.90

2.03%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.95 €3.44

-21.52%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.02 €1.76

23.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.32 €1.15

31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$6.95 €6.06

-49.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$5.41 €4.72

-36.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.37 €1.19

-16.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.05 €0.91

81.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.24 €1.08

20.97%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$4.82 €4.20

-17.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$14.49 €12.63

-8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$13.63 €11.88

-41.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$17.40 €15.16

3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.24 €1.95

4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.25 €1.96

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.28 €1.99

-18.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.83 €4.21

-47.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.15 €1.00

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.88 €1.64

11.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.12 €1.85

-61.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$20.27 €17.67

-64.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$14.05 €12.24

-57.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$4.34 €3.79

-69.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.66 €3.19

-41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.90 €1.65

24.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$115 €100

-59.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.28 €4.60

-22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.43 €1.25

-20.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$18.97 €16.53

-9.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.09 €1.82

10.53%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$40.0K €34.9K

-14.78%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$33.8K €29.5K

22.38%

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

$169 €147

$245 €214

-31.20%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$22.14 €19.30

-12.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$56.8 €49.50

-40.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$49.56 €43.20

-1.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$25.78 €22.47

-24.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$14.00 €12.20

-31.64%

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

$696 €607

$1,134 €989

-38.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,284 €4,606

228.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$97.2 €84.7

8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$29.39 €25.61

62.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$68.8 €60.0

46.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$123 €108

0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$1,842 €1,606

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$1,304 €1,137

-4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$2,563 €2,234

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$2,091 €1,822

-2.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$5,713 €4,980

37.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$5,249 €4,575

-14.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,609 €2,274

-37.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.14

-8.70%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,842 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dundalk pays 60% 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 $92.0 in Dundalk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $366 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 Dundalk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Dundalk. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,842 in Dundalk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $92.0 in Dundalk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $2,664 in Dundalk – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Dundalk 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 16% less than in Dundalk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.