Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and George Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and George

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,078 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,760 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,441 in George.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 107% more expensive than George, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, George is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$11.17 R 187

44.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$37.91 R 636

70.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.12 R 85.8

102.73%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.93 R 32.44

43.52%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.52 R 25.52

48.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.21 R 20.29

29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.53 R 42.50

37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.97 R 49.75

34.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.10 R 18.48

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.10 R 18.51

58.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.60 R 26.82

8.75%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.99 R 50.1

6.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.74 R 163

37.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.71 R 78.9

69.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$7.71 R 129

108.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.76 R 29.55

29.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.62 R 27.18

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.43 R 24.00

35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.55 R 25.97

63.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.57 R 26.30

16.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.77 R 29.71

15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.28 R 21.46

54.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.94 R 15.83

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.12 R 52.4

119.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$4.71 R 79.0

22.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.21 R 20.28

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.61 R 26.94

80.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.77 R 12.90

196.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$25.75 R 432

81.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.14 R 19.06

257.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.88 R 14.83

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$4.07 R 68.3

348.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.17 R 19.69

71.79%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$20.9K R 350.9K

68.55%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$20.5K R 344.5K

87.38%

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

$145 €124

$129 R 2,161

12.81%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$15.95 R 268

31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$52.4 R 878

-23.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$27.18 R 456

79.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$11.30 R 190

65.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.73 R 96.1

58.12%

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

$607 €519

$125 R 2,097

384.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$4,785 R 80.3K

241.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$72.5 R 1,216

44.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$31.91 R 535

28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$98.3 R 1,649

-4.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$88.3 R 1,480

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$390 R 6,537

311.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$332 R 5,564

272.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$721 R 12.1K

322.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$784 R 13.2K

162.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$720 R 12.1K

970.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$542 R 9,093

686.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,327 R 22.3K

19.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.88

-64.98%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for George: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $390 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 19% 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 $38.00 in George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $192 per month, with George 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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 19% 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 $390 in George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,078 in George – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,078 in George versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.