Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dundalk

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,531 in Dundalk, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Dundalk, Ireland
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Dundalk
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,531
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Dundalk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Dundalk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,531 in Dundalk.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Dundalk $2,531

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,726 in Dundalk.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Dundalk $3,726

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,922 in Dundalk.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Dundalk $4,922

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 13% less than in Dundalk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Dundalk 86% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$18.08 €16.20
-7.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$89.8 €80.4
-31.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$12.31 €11.03
-7.72%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.88 €3.48
-23.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.06 €1.84
11.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.27 €1.14
37.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$6.78 €6.07
-49.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.43 €4.87
-39.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.39 €1.25
-16.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.93 €0.83
105.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.35 €1.21
11.85%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$4.54 €4.07
-11.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$13.92 €12.47
-7.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$13.20 €11.83
-41.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$16.55 €14.83
7.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.18 €1.96
5.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.25 €2.02
-23.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.26 €2.03
-17.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.87 €4.37
-46.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.10 €0.99
65.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.80 €1.61
9.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.41 €1.26
4.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$2.16 €1.93
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$19.78 €17.72
-66.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$13.50 €12.09
-58.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$4.15 €3.72
-67.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.50 €3.13
-38.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.28 €2.04
2.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$112 €101
-60.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$5.21 €4.67
-26.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.42 €1.28
-24.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$18.55 €16.62
-11.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.06 €1.85
6.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$38.4K €34.4K
-10.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$33.2K €29.7K
16.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$235 €211
-31.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$21.48 €19.25
-14.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$55.5 €49.76
-41.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$48.91 €43.83
-8.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$25.01 €22.41
-23.63%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$13.18 €11.81
-27.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,092 €978
-38.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$5,208 €4,667
238.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$96.4 €86.4
5.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$27.90 €25.00
59.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$66.5 €59.6
48.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$121 €108
2.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,734 €1,553
-7.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$1,228 €1,100
-3.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$2,466 €2,210
14.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,993 €1,786
0.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$5,598 €5,016
40.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$5,128 €4,595
-10.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Dundalk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,477 €2,219
-36.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.14
-7.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Dundalk
$1.2K 3.2% $38
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Dundalk
$355 30.4% $83
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Dundalk
$286 18% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Dundalk
$312 47.1% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Dundalk
$140 15.5% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Dundalk
$75 18.1% $12
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Dundalk
$134 112% $71

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,734 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dundalk pays 57% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $90 in Dundalk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $355 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇪 Dundalk
🕒 Local time
11:08 11:08 AM
11:08 11:08 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
43,112
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Dundalk 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Dundalk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Lisbon cheaper than Dundalk?
Lisbon is about 13% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Dundalk?
On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Dundalk?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,734 in Dundalk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Dundalk?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $62 versus $90 in Dundalk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Dundalk?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,531 in Dundalk – Lisbon is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $3,000 enough for either Lisbon or Dundalk?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Dundalk?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Dundalk?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Dundalk are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Dundalk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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