Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,045 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,696 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $2,347 in East London, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 120% more than East London, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while East London is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$9.32 R 151

88.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$38.27 R 622

64.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$5.78 R 93.9

100.35%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.12 R 34.49

46.23%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.09 R 17.65

128.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.80 R 12.94

117.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.84 R 46.18

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.17 R 51.6

8.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.20 R 19.56

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.99 R 16.04

92.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.50 R 24.32

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.21 R 35.95

80.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$9.02 R 147

47.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$5.54 R 90.0

44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$8.48 R 138

112.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.50 R 24.43

56.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.58 R 25.75

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.74 R 28.25

6.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.54 R 25.01

65.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.71 R 27.77

7.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.47 R 23.85

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.20 R 19.53

24.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.92 R 14.95

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$2.92 R 47.46

143.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$4.99 R 81.1

18.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.31 R 21.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.81 R 29.40

17.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.52 R 24.78

55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

$48.19 R 783

-3.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.21 R 19.59

237.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.50 R 8.16

128.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$8.50 R 138

101.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.33 R 21.66

73.68%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$36.2K R 588.0K

-5.65%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$29.4K R 478.3K

40.61%

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

$169 €147

$124 R 2,018

35.75%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$33.92 R 551

-43.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$44.33 R 721

-24.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$39.59 R 644

23.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$4.82 R 78.4

98.55%

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

$696 €606

$179 R 2,913

288.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,458 R 88.7K

217.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$58.6 R 952

79.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$34.33 R 558

39.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$73.0 R 1,187

37.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$100 R 1,626

24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$294 R 4,787

464.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$255 R 4,141

389.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$548 R 8,916

440.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$655 R 10.7K

212.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$1,704 R 27.7K

-4.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-65.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for East London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $294 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $38.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $193 – making East London the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon, $1,045 in East London – roughly 120% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $1,567 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Lisbon and $179 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in East London to $2,296 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.