Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,227 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $3,277 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $4,326 in Forbes.

Monthly costs are close between Lisbon and Forbes; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Forbes 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$16.50 A$23.35

-4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$76.9 A$109

-18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$9.88 A$13.98

6.68%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$3.36 A$4.76

-17.56%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$2.61 A$3.70

-12.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$2.10 A$2.97

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$6.49 A$9.18

-45.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$7.15 A$10.12

-44.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.48 A$2.09

-27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.42 A$3.42

-26.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.93 A$2.73

-8.29%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$4.23 A$5.98

-26.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$8.64 A$12.22

54.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$8.30 A$11.74

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$13.58 A$19.21

17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.22 A$4.55

-29.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$2.75 A$3.89

-40.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.97 A$4.20

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.20 A$5.94

-41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.42 A$3.42

-26.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.19 A$3.10

-10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.14 A$3.03

-7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.53 A$2.16

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$30.55 A$43.22

-78.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$12.43 A$17.59

-53.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$4.66 A$6.59

-71.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$5.22 A$7.39

-42.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.57 A$3.63

-8.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$65.1 A$92.2

-29.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$3.61 A$5.10

18.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.63 A$2.30

-48.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$33.13 A$46.87

-43.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.13 A$1.60

83.19%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$28.7K A$40.6K

22.69%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$22.8K A$32.3K

69.13%

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

$151 €130

$185 A$261

-18.15%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$27.92 A$39.50

-25.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$53.1 A$75.2

-25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$49.59 A$70.2

-2.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$15.61 A$22.08

19.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$13.20 A$18.67

-31.52%

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

$610 €525

$1,622 A$2,294

-62.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.1K A$17.1K

34.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$67.7 A$95.8

49.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$51.2 A$72.5

-20.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$97.4 A$138

-4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$109 A$154

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,265 A$1,789

26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$1,075 A$1,521

15.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$2,044 A$2,893

47.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$1,712 A$2,422

20.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$5,938 A$8,401

34.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$4,630 A$6,550

-2.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.34

-39.91%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Forbes: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $1,265 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $77.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $334 per month, with Lisbon 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $3,341 in Forbes 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,265 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 42% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Forbes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,227 in Forbes, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Forbes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Forbes on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.