Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Encarnacion Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Encarnacion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $817 in Encarnacion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,234 in Encarnacion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,652 in Encarnacion.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 181% more expensive than in Encarnacion, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Encarnacion is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$4.29 ₲25.3K

310.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$32.71 ₲193.1K

92.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$6.71 ₲39.6K

72.58%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.44 ₲14.4K

27.05%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.49 ₲8,785

67.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.48 ₲2,843

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$0.91 ₲5,363

282.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.02 ₲11.9K

70.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.05 ₲6,196

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.87 ₲5,162

119.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.66 ₲9,778

-9.64%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.57 ₲9,299

153.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$5.23 ₲30.9K

154.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$3.20 ₲18.9K

150.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$5.36 ₲31.7K

236.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.03 ₲12.0K

15.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.77 ₲4,549

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.92 ₲5,447

101.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.64 ₲9,695

55.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.84 ₲4,951

119.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.85 ₲5,033

147.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.55 ₲3,240

170.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.46 ₲2,713

78.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$1.61 ₲9,499

340.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$5.55 ₲32.8K

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.80 ₲4,706

63.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.51 ₲8,892

41.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.49 ₲2,911

381.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$34.11 ₲201.4K

36.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.27 ₲7,482

221.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.66 ₲3,891

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$6.31 ₲37.3K

170.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.11 ₲6,565

108.11%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$14.0K ₲83.0M

142.92%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$26.0K ₲153.7M

58.98%

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

$169 €147

$42.86 ₲253.1K

293.26%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$12.95 ₲76.5K

49.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$18.26 ₲107.8K

83.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$29.46 ₲174.0K

65.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$12.85 ₲75.9K

51.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$6.09 ₲35.9K

57.14%

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

$696 €607

$197 ₲1.2M

253.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$3,285 ₲19.4M

428.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$56.9 ₲335.8K

85.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$27.32 ₲161.3K

74.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$67.2 ₲396.9K

49.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$68.8 ₲406.4K

80.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$494 ₲2.9M

236.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$321 ₲1.9M

288.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$652 ₲3.9M

354.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$503 ₲3.0M

307.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$1,586 ₲9.4M

393.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,325 ₲7.8M

237.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$362 ₲2.1M

350.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

9.5

-60.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $494 in Encarnacion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 351% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $33.00 in Encarnacion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $137 per month, with Encarnacion 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 Encarnacion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Encarnacion differ by about 181% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $817 including rent). Encarnacion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 351% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $494 in Encarnacion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $817 in Encarnacion – a 181% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Encarnacion runs roughly 37% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $817 in Encarnacion versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Encarnacion but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Encarnacion 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 Encarnacion 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 Encarnacion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 181% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.