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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,181 in Dundalk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,447 in Dundalk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,713 in Dundalk.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 1% more expensive than Dundalk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Dundalk 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$18.15 €15.61

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$99.2 €85.4

-34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$11.00 €9.46

-4.45%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.98 €3.42

-27.89%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.23 €1.92

0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.36 €1.17

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$6.72 €5.78

-48.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.89 €5.07

-34.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.64 €1.41

-30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.61 €1.39

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.48 €1.27

18.92%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.50 €3.87

-28.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.66 €6.59

76.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$13.10 €11.27

-39.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$12.86 €11.06

23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.76 €1.51

31.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.79 €1.54

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.78 €1.53

12.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.13 €0.97

117.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.79 €1.54

2.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.19 €1.02

68.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.27 €1.09

51.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.75 €1.51

-54.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$18.81 €16.18

-64.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$13.81 €11.88

-58.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.82 €2.43

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.25 €2.79

-8.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.81 €1.56

30.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$116 €100

-60.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.91 €5.08

-27.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.26 €1.09

-34.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$19.27 €16.58

-5.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.98 €1.70

4.04%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.5K €32.3K

-8.71%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$29.4K €25.3K

33.44%

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

$148 €127

$172 €148

-14.09%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$22.79 €19.61

-9.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$49.42 €42.51

-19.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$48.63 €41.83

-1.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$11.48 €9.87

-20.03%

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

$614 €528

$960 €826

-36.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,317 €1,993

592.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$78.6 €67.6

33.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$28.67 €24.66

46.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$68.1 €58.6

38.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$75.7 €65.1

58.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,441 €1,240

12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,088 €936

15.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,095 €1,802

44.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,964 €1,689

2.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$5,760 €4,954

35.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$5,315 €4,572

-19.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$2,107 €1,812

-23.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.53

-15.89%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,441 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dundalk pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $99.0 in Dundalk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $298 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

Dundalk is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dundalk earns 31% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,441 in Dundalk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dundalk – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,181 in Dundalk – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,181 in Dundalk versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dundalk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Dundalk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dundalk 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 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 Dundalk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.