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 $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $742 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,159 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,576 in El Nido, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 206% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while El Nido is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$4.81 ₱301

264.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$29.51 ₱1,850

118.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$3.75 ₱235

210.67%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.14 ₱134

52.34%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.21 ₱75.9

105.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.32 ₱19.76

421.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.17 ₱73.2

196.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.03 ₱127

76.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.47 ₱92.0

-19.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.21 ₱76.0

61.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.29 ₱80.6

20.93%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.90 ₱119

111.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$5.82 ₱365

128.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.96 ₱248

112.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$7.23 ₱453

152.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.44 ₱153

-4.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.66 ₱104

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.12 ₱133

-8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.13 ₱70.8

133.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.04 ₱128

-6.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.94 ₱122

8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.78 ₱49.06

84.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.52 ₱32.45

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.79 ₱175

151.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.04 ₱441

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.90 ₱56.5

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.92 ₱120

11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.27 ₱17.04

781.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$11.60 ₱727

298.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.82 ₱51.4

410.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.25 ₱15.56

340.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$2.10 ₱131

721.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.24 ₱78.0

81.45%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$24.5K ₱1.5M

40.65%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$17.2K ₱1.1M

142.14%

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

$171 €147

$139 ₱8,720

22.85%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$14.38 ₱901

32.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$24.35 ₱1,527

40.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$30.35 ₱1,903

63.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$5.31 ₱333

267.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$5.64 ₱353

79.08%

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

$699 €603

$142 ₱8,882

393.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,588 ₱538.4K

106.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$28.53 ₱1,789

266.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$20.84 ₱1,306

130.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$64.3 ₱4,031

58.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$50.8 ₱3,186

152.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$266 ₱16.6K

525.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$157 ₱9,869

680.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$459 ₱28.8K

535.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$386 ₱24.2K

423.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,423 ₱151.9K

235.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$985 ₱61.8K

370.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$253 ₱15.8K

540.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.75

-44.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for El Nido: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $266 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 540% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $30.00 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $176 – 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: $2,268 in Lisbon, $742 in El Nido – roughly 206% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,113 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.

Public transport costs about 298% less in El Nido. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $142 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 $742, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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 $742 in El Nido to $2,268 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.