Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and El Faiyum

For one person, living is cheaper in El Faiyum: $434 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
El Faiyum
🇪🇬 Egypt
$434
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $434 in El Faiyum.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • El Faiyum $434

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $693 in El Faiyum.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • El Faiyum $693

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $952 in El Faiyum.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • El Faiyum $952

Living in Lisbon is roughly 408% more expensive than in El Faiyum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, El Faiyum is 68% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$2.29 E£122
644.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$12.74 E£680
388.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$3.30 E£176
233.94%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$1.19 E£63.3
162.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.29 E£15.59
682.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.10 E£5.10
1640.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$0.89 E£47.70
284.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$2.25 E£120
66.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.74 E£39.61
58.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$0.67 E£35.72
177.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$0.62 E£32.99
148.39%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$1.16 E£62.1
250.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$3.03 E£162
326.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$4.23 E£226
86.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$6.74 E£360
161.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.46 E£78.1
54.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$0.61 E£32.60
186.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$0.54 E£28.93
250.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$0.32 E£16.87
700.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.26 E£14.00
611.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$0.29 E£15.74
579.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$0.25 E£13.22
480.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.23 E£12.18
234.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$1.73 E£92.4
287.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$5.54 E£296
2.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.21 E£64.6
13.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.96 E£105
7.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$0.05 E£2.84
4540.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$5.41 E£289
721.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$0.39 E£20.71
912.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.29 E£15.69
262.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$1.19 E£63.3
1341.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.41 E£21.65
434.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$33.3K E£1.8M
1.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$25.2K E£1.3M
51.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$13.75 E£734
1091.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$6.55 E£350
182.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$13.01 E£695
153.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$27.39 E£1,462
67.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$2.17 E£116
349.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$23.56 E£1,258
2803.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$821 E£43.8K
2046.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$32.17 E£1,718
222.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$43.92 E£2,345
5.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$126 E£6,719
-20.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$54.1 E£2,888
130.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$163 E£8,682
877.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$80.5 E£4,299
1352.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$258 E£13.8K
1004.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$152 E£8,097
1214.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$427 E£22.8K
1723.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$221 E£11.8K
1898.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
El Faiyum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$70.5 E£3,762
2170.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6
-35.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for El Faiyum: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
El Faiyum
$81 93.1% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
El Faiyum
$113 58.8% $160
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
El Faiyum
$53 78.6% $195
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
El Faiyum
$33 84.5% $182
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
El Faiyum
$115 31.6% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
El Faiyum
$32 51.5% $34
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
El Faiyum
$7.5 88.1% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $163 in El Faiyum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 2171% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $13.00 in El Faiyum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $113 per month, with El Faiyum cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇪🇬 El Faiyum
🕒 Local time
13:43 1:43 PM
15:43 3:43 PM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
306,393
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon El Faiyum 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • El Faiyum

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 Faiyum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is El Faiyum cheaper than Lisbon?
El Faiyum is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 408% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or El Faiyum?
Average pay runs 2171% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and El Faiyum?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $163 in El Faiyum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in El Faiyum runs roughly 721% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $23.56 in El Faiyum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in El Faiyum?
At $434 in El Faiyum versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Faiyum but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes El Faiyum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or El Faiyum more family-friendly?
For families, El Faiyum 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.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or El Faiyum?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and El Faiyum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find El Faiyum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 408% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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