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

Name: El Medano
Address: El Medano, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,344 in El Medano, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,642 in El Medano, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $3,939 in El Medano, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 64% more than El Medano, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lisbon and El Medano sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, El Medano by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$17.33 €14.92

-8.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$58.1 €50.0

11.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$10.58 €9.11

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.01 €1.73

42.79%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.84 €1.59

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.01 €0.87

48.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.94 €2.53

18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.32 €2.86

16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.29 €1.11

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.71 €1.47

2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.45 €1.25

21.38%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.17 €2.73

1.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$14.98 €12.90

-9.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.28 €7.13

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$14.40 €12.40

10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.44 €2.10

-5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.76 €1.52

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.65 €1.42

21.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.60 €2.24

-5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.57 €1.35

17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.76 €1.52

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.48 €1.28

30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.66 €0.56

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$5.12 €4.41

29.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$7.99 €6.88

-28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.54 €1.32

-11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.37 €1.18

116.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.70 €1.46

39.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$17.12 €14.74

166.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.67 €4.02

-8.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.34 €1.15

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$17.17 €14.78

6.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.31 €1.12

57.25%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.1K €24.2K

22.02%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$29.8K €25.7K

31.74%

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

$148 €127

$89.3 €76.9

65.55%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$21.72 €18.70

-5.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$30.73 €26.46

28.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$45.78 €39.42

4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$14.96 €12.88

26.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$9.58 €8.25

-4.18%

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

$614 €529

$342 €295

79.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,321 €7,165

92.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$83.4 €71.8

25.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$33.89 €29.18

24.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$84.6 €72.8

11.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$69.7 €60.0

71.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,062 €914

53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$487 €420

157.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,886 €1,624

60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,824 €1,571

10.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$3,431 €2,954

127.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,368 €2,039

80.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.5

8.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for El Medano: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,062 in El Medano. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $58.0 in El Medano. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $269 in El Medano – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $1,344 in El Medano – roughly 64% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,017 in El Medano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $342 in El Medano. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 El Medano, where all-in costs run around $1,344, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In El Medano 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 $1,344 in El Medano to $2,210 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 El Medano. 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.