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 $2,243 per month in Lisbon vs $823 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,306 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Lisbon vs $1,788 in El Nido, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 172% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 67% above the global median, while El Nido is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$5.17 ₱311

204.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$30.48 ₱1,834

107.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$4.26 ₱256

142.25%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$3.98 ₱239

-29.40%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$1.36 ₱82.0

71.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.40 ₱24.00

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$1.36 ₱82.1

147.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$2.08 ₱125

87.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.82 ₱110

-40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.22 ₱73.3

43.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.73 ₱104

1.16%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$2.60 ₱156

19.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$8.16 ₱491

62.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$3.31 ₱199

137.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$8.31 ₱500

93.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$3.00 ₱181

-20.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$0.69 ₱41.33

149.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.71 ₱163

-27.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.11 ₱127

20.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.21 ₱133

-19.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.11 ₱127

-6.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.11 ₱66.7

76.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.71 ₱42.79

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$2.80 ₱168

143.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$9.10 ₱548

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.16 ₱70.1

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.06 ₱124

41.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$0.37 ₱22.04

518.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$0.78 ₱46.89

428.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.22 ₱13.15

268.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$2.10 ₱127

801.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.04 ₱62.5

100.96%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

29.97%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

97.21%

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

$150 €128

$114 ₱6,885

30.73%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$32.43 ₱1,952

-36.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$31.75 ₱1,911

23.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$34.21 ₱2,059

45.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$4.42 ₱266

317.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$5.88 ₱354

56.46%

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

$624 €533

$153 ₱9,236

306.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$4,376 ₱263.4K

263.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$46.35 ₱2,789

120.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$26.35 ₱1,586

55.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$75.6 ₱4,551

26.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$53.7 ₱3,232

125.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$263 ₱15.8K

528.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$179 ₱10.8K

587.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$580 ₱34.9K

425.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$400 ₱24.1K

414.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,567 ₱154.5K

206.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$262 ₱15.7K

498.73%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for El Nido: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Lisbon versus $263 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 499% 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 $63 in Lisbon versus $30 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $206 – 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: $2,243 in Lisbon, $823 in El Nido – roughly 172% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,365 per month in Lisbon and $1,235 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 $2,243 in Lisbon and $823 in El Nido. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $624 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 $823, than in Lisbon at $2,243. 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 $823 in El Nido to $2,243 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.