😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,149 in Guadalajara.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,858 in Guadalajara.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,568 in Guadalajara.
🌍Living in Lisbon is roughly 99% more expensive than in Guadalajara, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Guadalajara is 14% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.19€14.17
$10.71MX$188
51.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.3€55.4
$37.63MX$660
68.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32€9.03
$8.08MX$142
27.72%
Cappuccino
$2.83€2.48
$3.24MX$56.8
-12.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.00
$1.37MX$24.00
67.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58€1.38
$0.90MX$15.86
75.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.40€2.98
$2.14MX$37.51
58.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.03€3.52
$3.86MX$67.7
4.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09€0.95
$1.39MX$24.31
-21.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75€1.53
$2.69MX$47.25
-34.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.54
$1.68MX$29.53
4.76%
Eggs
$3.17€2.77
$2.54MX$44.58
24.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.19€11.54
$9.19MX$161
43.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.97€6.97
$7.91MX$139
0.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.53€13.59
$9.98MX$175
55.61%
Apples(1kg)
$2.37€2.07
$2.70MX$47.39
-12.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71€1.49
$1.46MX$25.67
17.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01€1.76
$1.87MX$32.72
7.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.43€2.13
$1.51MX$26.52
60.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.76€1.54
$1.71MX$30.01
2.92%
Onion(1kg)
$2.03€1.78
$1.99MX$34.86
2.01%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.92€1.68
$1.38MX$24.20
39.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.74
$1.12MX$19.60
-24.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58€5.76
$4.56MX$80.0
44.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.58€4.88
$11.22MX$197
-50.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33€1.17
$1.56MX$27.36
-14.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97€2.60
$3.23MX$56.7
-8.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.28€1.99
$0.52MX$9.11
338.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.79€40.06
$26.06MX$457
75.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.23€3.70
$2.66MX$46.69
59.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81€0.71
$1.61MX$28.30
-49.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.44€16.13
$11.77MX$206
56.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08€1.82
$1.33MX$23.31
56.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K€30.3K
$23.6KMX$413.5K
47.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K€34.3K
$24.2KMX$424.0K
62.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148€130
$30.98MX$543
377.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.46€17.90
$23.74MX$416
-13.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.56€34.61
$27.13MX$476
45.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.99€41.99
$34.02MX$597
41.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.60€16.27
$19.92MX$349
-6.63%
Cinema Ticket
$9.22€8.07
$4.85MX$85.1
90.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$616€539
$189MX$3,320
225.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.4K€14.4K
$6,333MX$111.1K
159.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103€89.9
$49.35MX$866
108.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.74€36.52
$50.8MX$891
-17.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.8€82.9
$99.8MX$1,750
-5.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122€107
$93.1MX$1,633
31.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,633€1,428
$720MX$12.6K
126.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,232€1,078
$438MX$7,690
181.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,098€2,711
$1,321MX$23.2K
134.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,031€1,777
$847MX$14.8K
139.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,831€6,851
$3,277MX$57.5K
138.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,389€3,840
$2,021MX$35.5K
117.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Guadalajara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,607€1,406
$797MX$14.0K
101.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
11.48
-66.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026
Last update for Guadalajara: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $720 in Guadalajara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays 102% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Guadalajara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $257 per month, with Guadalajara 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 Guadalajara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Guadalajara?
Guadalajara wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guadalajara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Guadalajara?
Average pay runs 102% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Guadalajara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $720 in Guadalajara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Guadalajara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Guadalajara?
Dining out is cheaper in Guadalajara – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Guadalajara?
At $1,149 in Guadalajara versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guadalajara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Guadalajara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Guadalajara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Guadalajara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,149 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guadalajara hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Guadalajara?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Guadalajara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Guadalajara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.