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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $748 in Encarnacion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,046 in Encarnacion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,343 in Encarnacion.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 198% more expensive than Encarnacion, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Encarnacion is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$3.30 ₲20.7K

390.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$28.53 ₲178.7K

126.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$4.51 ₲28.3K

130.16%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.08 ₲6,766

156.48%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.47 ₲9,221

53.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.49 ₲3,101

220.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.18 ₲13.7K

60.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.04 ₲12.8K

96.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.82 ₲5,120

31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.47 ₲2,930

270.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.89 ₲5,555

95.51%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.65 ₲10.3K

92.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$5.15 ₲32.3K

160.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$3.31 ₲20.8K

141.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$5.65 ₲35.4K

184.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.15 ₲13.5K

6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.78 ₲4,905

120.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$0.92 ₲5,756

110.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.66 ₲10.4K

53.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.87 ₲5,425

110.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.86 ₲5,391

137.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.54 ₲3,413

266.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.57 ₲3,579

49.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$1.46 ₲9,131

369.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$4.74 ₲29.7K

21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.86 ₲5,361

59.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.54 ₲9,635

88.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.49 ₲3,090

365.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$34.34 ₲215.2K

36.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.31 ₲8,228

211.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.71 ₲4,421

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.42 ₲40.2K

184.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.94 ₲5,892

113.83%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$13.8K ₲86.5M

155.30%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.5K ₲166.1M

45.16%

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

$145 €124

$45.42 ₲284.6K

220.12%

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

$20.96 €17.94

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$16.79 ₲105.2K

138.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$27.51 ₲172.4K

77.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$12.93 ₲81.0K

44.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.17 ₲38.7K

46.84%

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

$607 €519

$197 ₲1.2M

208.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$3,271 ₲20.5M

399.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$58.0 ₲363.5K

80.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$27.45 ₲172.0K

49.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$67.1 ₲420.1K

39.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$70.2 ₲439.9K

68.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$388 ₲2.4M

313.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$298 ₲1.9M

314.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$389 ₲2.4M

683.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$273 ₲1.7M

652.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,494 ₲9.4M

415.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,098 ₲6.9M

288.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$499 ₲3.1M

217.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.5

-59.89%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Encarnacion: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $388 in Encarnacion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 218% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $29.00 in Encarnacion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $130 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 198% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $748 including rent). Encarnacion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 218% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $388 in Encarnacion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $748 in Encarnacion – a 198% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Encarnacion runs roughly 36% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $748 in Encarnacion versus $2,227 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 198% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.