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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,629 in El Paso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,368 in El Paso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,106 in El Paso.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 36% more expensive than El Paso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, El Paso 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$14.92 €12.83

6.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$57.4 €49.41

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$10.24 €8.81

2.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.16 €1.86

32.87%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.34 €2.02

-4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.73 €1.49

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.54 €3.05

-1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.51 €3.02

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.18 €1.01

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.38 €1.19

26.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.62 €1.39

8.64%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.91 €2.50

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.27 €11.41

1.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.25 €7.09

-4.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$15.25 €13.12

4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.51 €2.16

-7.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.01 €1.73

-15.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.90 €1.64

5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.60 €2.24

-5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.70 €1.47

8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.98 €1.71

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.40 €1.20

37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.70 €0.60

12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$6.23 €5.36

6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.83 €5.01

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.20 €1.03

14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.06 €1.78

44.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.70 €1.46

39.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$33.76 €29.04

34.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.02 €3.46

6.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.26 €1.08

-34.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$24.71 €21.25

-25.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.74 €1.50

18.39%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.9K €32.6K

-9.46%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.0K €25.8K

31.18%

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

$148 €127

$138 €118

7.37%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$20.60 €17.72

-0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$31.98 €27.51

23.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$47.23 €40.63

1.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$15.17 €13.05

24.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$9.17 €7.89

0.11%

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

$614 €528

$399 €343

54.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,584 €6,523

111.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$86.0 €74.0

21.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$35.85 €30.83

17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$87.7 €75.4

7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$108 €93.2

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$844 €726

92.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$704 €606

78.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,317 €1,133

130.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,022 €879

97.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$3,741 €3,218

108.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$2,257 €1,942

89.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

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 Paso: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $844 in El Paso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $57.0 in El Paso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $261 per month, with El Paso cheaper across the board.

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 Paso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and El Paso differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,629 including rent). El Paso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $2,443 in El Paso to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $844 in El Paso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in El Paso – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,629 in El Paso – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,629 in El Paso versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in El Paso but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes El Paso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and El Paso are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find El Paso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.