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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $804 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,282 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,761 in El Nido, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 175% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while El Nido is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.81

$5.18 ₱319

207.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$31.02 ₱1,914

108.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$4.13 ₱255

154.48%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$3.94 ₱243

-27.16%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$1.31 ₱80.9

70.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.37 ₱22.61

305.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$1.35 ₱83.6

158.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$2.19 ₱135

77.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.82 ₱112

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.23 ₱75.8

42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.81 ₱112

-2.76%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$2.61 ₱161

23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.71

$7.97 ₱492

69.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$3.28 ₱203

141.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$8.39 ₱518

89.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.93 ₱181

-21.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.68 ₱42.21

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$2.62 ₱162

-23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.08 ₱129

18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.20 ₱136

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$2.10 ₱129

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.11 ₱68.3

73.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.77 ₱47.48

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$2.83 ₱174

133.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$7.63 ₱471

-25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.15 ₱71.0

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$1.99 ₱123

49.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$0.36 ₱22.48

558.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$0.82 ₱50.6

423.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.24 ₱14.87

241.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$2.11 ₱130

767.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.03 ₱63.9

100.00%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

28.73%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

92.29%

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

$148 €128

$111 ₱6,876

32.73%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$32.33 ₱1,996

-36.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$32.14 ₱1,984

23.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$33.56 ₱2,071

42.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

$4.32 ₱266

337.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$6.04 ₱373

51.99%

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

$614 €533

$153 ₱9,417

302.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$4,256 ₱262.7K

277.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$45.14 ₱2,786

131.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$26.91 ₱1,661

56.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$75.8 ₱4,675

24.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$53.2 ₱3,281

125.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$261 ₱16.1K

524.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$180 ₱11.1K

598.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$593 ₱36.6K

410.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$389 ₱24.0K

419.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

$2,325 ₱143.5K

235.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

$865 ₱53.4K

393.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

$259 ₱16.0K

519.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.67

-42.88%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for El Nido: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $261 in El Nido. 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 520% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $31.00 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $203 – making El Nido 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 El Nido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $804 in El Nido – roughly 175% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,206 in El Nido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $804 in El Nido. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $153 in El Nido. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In El Nido 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 $804 in El Nido 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 Nido. 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.