Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and El Ejido Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and El Ejido

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,484 in El Ejido.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Lisbon versus $2,203 in El Ejido.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Lisbon versus $2,921 in El Ejido.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 49% more expensive than in El Ejido, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, El Ejido 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.80

$17.34 €15.24

-9.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.2

$57.6 €50.6

9.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.25

$10.51 €9.24

0.19%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.53

$2.09 €1.83

37.80%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$1.14 €1.00

97.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$1.47 €1.30

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.98

$2.81 €2.47

20.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.42

$3.55 €3.12

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$1.33 €1.17

-18.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$1.75 €1.54

-1.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.55

$1.55 €1.37

13.55%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.78

$2.86 €2.52

10.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.68

$11.69 €10.27

13.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.92

$9.32 €8.19

-15.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.92

$14.33 €12.60

10.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$2.46 €2.17

-2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.50

$1.66 €1.46

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.42 €1.25

42.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$2.27 €2.00

11.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.66 €1.46

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.63 €1.43

26.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.09 €0.96

83.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.69

$0.65 €0.57

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.84

$6.06 €5.33

9.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.08

$4.65 €4.09

24.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.22

$1.15 €1.01

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$1.89 €1.66

59.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.05

$1.67 €1.46

39.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.94

$33.98 €29.86

33.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$1.66 €1.46

145.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.26 €1.11

-36.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.38

$17.38 €15.27

7.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.75 €1.54

14.29%

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

$35.4K €31.1K

$38.3K €33.6K

-7.57%

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

$39.1K €34.3K

$30.4K €26.7K

28.51%

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

$150 €132

$79.6 €70.0

88.52%

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

$20.55 €18.06

$20.54 €18.05

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.66

$32.10 €28.21

22.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.23

$48.56 €42.67

-1.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.43

$14.97 €13.16

24.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.17

$9.74 €8.56

-4.52%

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

$628 €552

$726 €638

-13.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

$10.5K €9,250

56.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.2

$22.76 €20.00

346.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.51

$30.73 €27.00

35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.3

$28.84 €25.34

220.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$40.23 €35.35

204.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,430

$868 €763

87.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,083

$681 €598

81.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,747

$1,302 €1,144

140.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,808

$986 €866

108.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,821

$3,481 €3,058

123.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,854

$1,978 €1,738

121.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

$1,485 €1,305

9.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.58

6.42%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Last update for El Ejido: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $868 in El Ejido. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $58.0 in El Ejido for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $252 per month, with El Ejido 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 El Ejido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Ejido is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $868 in El Ejido. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in El Ejido – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $63.0 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 $1,484 in El Ejido – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in El Ejido versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Ejido but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes El Ejido the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Ejido 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 El Ejido 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 El Ejido gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.