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 $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $1,052 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,572 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $2,092 in East London, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 115% more than East London, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while East London is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$6.79 R 110

134.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$30.73 R 497

106.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.45 R 71.9

133.26%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.02 R 32.73

38.12%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.99 R 16.00

136.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.82 R 13.23

91.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.56 R 41.32

33.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.13 R 50.6

24.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.06 R 17.13

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.90 R 14.55

96.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.03 R 32.85

-15.76%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.06 R 33.29

52.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$9.36 R 151

46.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.15 R 67.0

93.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.42 R 120

109.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.52 R 24.50

50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.13 R 34.47

-23.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.43 R 23.19

35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.46 R 23.66

71.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.57 R 25.32

14.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.47 R 23.78

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.05 R 16.97

87.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.92 R 14.88

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.62 R 42.36

159.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$4.92 R 79.6

15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.71 R 27.71

-18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.53 R 40.93

19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.73 R 11.82

210.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$21.78 R 352

108.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.13 R 18.29

279.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.96 R 15.50

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$4.14 R 66.9

341.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.21 R 19.62

64.46%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$37.0K R 598.3K

-5.34%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$22.2K R 359.6K

77.80%

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

$146 €126

$196 R 3,172

-25.51%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$30.20 R 488

-32.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$44.54 R 720

-12.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$33.44 R 541

46.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$1.43 R 23.05

1216.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$3.60 R 58.2

164.44%

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

$608 €524

$121 R 1,948

404.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$4,276 R 69.1K

286.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$51.9 R 838

100.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$28.73 R 464

46.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$107 R 1,724

-13.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$85.4 R 1,380

40.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$268 R 4,337

504.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$300 R 4,845

322.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$505 R 8,161

503.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$551 R 8,912

264.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,645 R 26.6K

-3.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-65.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $268 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 $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $187 – 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: $2,263 in Lisbon, $1,052 in East London – roughly 115% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,578 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 $608 per month in Lisbon and $121 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 $1,052, than in Lisbon at $2,263. 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 $1,052 in East London to $2,263 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.