Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and El Congo

For one person, living is cheaper in El Congo: $575 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,202

/mo nomad

El Congo

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$575

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in El Congo

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 El Congo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $575 in El Congo, rent included.

Lisbon $2,202
El Congo $575

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $600 in El Congo, rent included.

Lisbon $3,274
El Congo $600

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $625 in El Congo, rent included.

Lisbon $4,346
El Congo $625

Lisbon costs about 283% more than El Congo.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while El Congo is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 €15.18

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 €55.5

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 €9.82

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.78

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

$2.27 €2.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.55

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €3.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.33

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.04

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.66

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 €1.38

Eggs

$4.06 €3.62

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 €11.51

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 €7.05

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 €15.73

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €2.02

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.56

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.69

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.28

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.65

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 €5.98

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €5.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.88

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 €39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 €3.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 €15.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.96

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

$33.8K €30.1K

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

$38.3K €34.1K

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

$164 €146

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

$18.48 €16.47

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.96 €29.38

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.87 €40.88

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.65

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 €8.69

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

$684 €610

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €92.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.20 €41.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 €88.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 €1,417

$711 $711

123.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 €1,042

$575 $575

103.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 €2,541

$968 $968

194.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,776

$625 $625

219.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,793 €6,946

$4,225 $4,225

84.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 €3,938

$1,307 $1,307

237.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 €1,426

$942 $942

69.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

5.72

-32.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for El Congo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.1%

El Congo

–

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$273 12.4%

El Congo

–

Eating Out

Lisbon

$247 11.2%

El Congo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$215 9.8%

El Congo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$168 7.7%

El Congo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$65 3%

El Congo

–

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

El Congo

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $711 in El Congo. 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 70% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇸🇻 El Congo

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

02:34 2:34 AM

6 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

8,905

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Lisbon El Congo 8,220 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
El Congo

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 El Congo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 283% more than El Congo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $863 in El Congo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Congo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $711 there versus $1,589 in Lisbon.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in El Congo, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Lisbon at $2,202. In El Congo 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 $575 in El Congo to $2,202 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with El Congo. 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.