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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,616 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,747 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,878 in Forbes.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 12% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Forbes 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$19.05 A$26.74

-7.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$97.2 A$136

-35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$10.94 A$15.36

5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.52 A$4.95

-11.93%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$3.29 A$4.62

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.63 A$3.69

-33.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$8.40 A$11.80

-58.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$9.00 A$12.63

-61.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.56 A$2.19

-26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.86 A$4.02

-33.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.20 A$3.08

-31.82%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$5.28 A$7.41

-24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$8.50 A$11.94

56.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.22 A$11.54

-2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.71

$14.34 A$20.13

25.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.32 A$4.67

-29.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$3.35 A$4.71

-47.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.21 A$4.51

-42.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.39 A$6.16

-41.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.09 A$4.33

-40.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.66 A$3.73

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.80 A$3.93

-46.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.84 A$2.59

-55.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$37.66 A$52.9

-81.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$12.24 A$17.18

-51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$4.44 A$6.23

-70.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$5.28 A$7.42

-59.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$3.21 A$4.50

-26.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.60

$75.3 A$106

-38.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.30 A$4.63

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.41 A$1.97

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$42.56 A$59.8

-59.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.13 A$1.58

104.42%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$27.0K A$37.9K

26.25%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$29.5K A$41.4K

40.16%

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

$169 €147

$214 A$300

-21.18%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$24.68 A$34.64

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.19

$62.0 A$87.0

-45.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.54

$56.3 A$79.0

-13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

$15.63 A$21.93

24.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$16.17 A$22.70

-40.82%

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

$696 €606

$2,456 A$3,447

-71.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$23.9K A$33.5K

-27.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$75.4 A$106

39.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.59

$57.4 A$80.6

-16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$98.7 A$139

1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$121 A$170

2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,447

$1,625 A$2,282

2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$1,193 A$1,674

4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,582

$2,435 A$3,418

21.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,784

$1,807 A$2,537

13.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,823

$5,404 A$7,585

44.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,888

$4,586 A$6,437

-2.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.87

-35.60%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Forbes: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,625 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $97.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $360 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

Lisbon and Forbes differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $2,616 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $3,924 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,625 in Forbes. 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 $2,616 in Forbes – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 62% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.