Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ernakulam Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ernakulam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $414 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $659 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $905 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 436% more than Ernakulam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Ernakulam is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$1.69 ₹160

833.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$9.37 ₹886

566.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$4.72 ₹447

123.31%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$1.46 ₹138

89.73%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$0.53 ₹50.1

330.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.18 ₹17.34

761.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$1.76 ₹166

101.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$2.84 ₹268

40.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.65 ₹61.9

66.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.57 ₹54.4

210.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.59 ₹56.3

200.00%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$0.99 ₹94.1

215.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$6.81 ₹644

95.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$3.71 ₹351

115.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.32 ₹220

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$0.61 ₹57.5

168.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.04 ₹98.6

90.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.61 ₹57.7

301.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.49 ₹46.32

261.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.60 ₹56.4

228.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.67 ₹63.4

194.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.33 ₹31.66

142.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$3.22 ₹305

103.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$5.44 ₹515

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.77 ₹167

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.42 ₹229

23.55%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.04 ₹382

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$0.30 ₹28.64

680.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$8.53 ₹807

437.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$1.04 ₹98.3

309.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.30 ₹27.99

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$1.19 ₹112

1484.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.25 ₹118

65.60%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$16.1K ₹1.5M

118.88%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$22.9K ₹2.2M

68.81%

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

$151 €130

$37.68 ₹3,565

301.09%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$3.02 ₹286

592.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$7.14 ₹675

453.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$16.79 ₹1,588

188.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$7.15 ₹676

160.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$2.38 ₹225

279.83%

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

$610 €525

$74.4 ₹7,041

720.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$2,438 ₹230.6K

567.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$26.64 ₹2,521

280.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$21.35 ₹2,020

90.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$37.29 ₹3,528

149.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$25.60 ₹2,422

363.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$160 ₹15.1K

902.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$99.1 ₹9,376

1149.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$423 ₹40.0K

613.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$250 ₹23.7K

723.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$1,061 ₹100.3K

652.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$1,220 ₹115.4K

271.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$344 ₹32.5K

373.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.36

-59.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $160 in Ernakulam. 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 373% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $9.00 in Ernakulam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $114 – making Ernakulam 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 Ernakulam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 436%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $621 in Ernakulam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ernakulam, 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 $2,217 in Lisbon and $414 in Ernakulam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 438% less in Ernakulam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ernakulam, where all-in costs run around $414, than in Lisbon at $2,217. In Ernakulam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ernakulam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ernakulam. 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.