Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,869 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,967 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $4,066 in Hamilton.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 19% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Hamilton 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$13.89 NZ$23.61

16.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$85.0 NZ$145

-24.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$8.86 NZ$15.07

17.16%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.69 NZ$6.27

-24.93%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.41 NZ$4.10

-6.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$2.88 NZ$4.90

-45.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$6.73 NZ$11.43

-48.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$5.99 NZ$10.19

-33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.60 NZ$2.71

-32.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.30 NZ$2.22

33.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.94 NZ$3.29

-10.31%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$6.04 NZ$10.27

-47.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$5.65 NZ$9.61

137.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$8.19 NZ$13.92

-2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$11.21 NZ$19.05

43.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.68 NZ$4.56

-14.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.96 NZ$5.03

-41.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.05 NZ$5.18

-36.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$6.49 NZ$11.03

-60.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$2.26 NZ$3.84

-19.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.91 NZ$3.24

6.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.72 NZ$4.62

-27.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.03 NZ$1.76

-17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$25.68 NZ$43.66

-73.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$11.20 NZ$19.04

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$3.46 NZ$5.87

-60.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$4.42 NZ$7.51

-34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.63 NZ$2.77

39.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

$47.48 NZ$80.7

-1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$4.25 NZ$7.23

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.98 NZ$3.37

-58.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$42.54 NZ$72.3

-57.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.72 NZ$2.92

16.86%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$23.4K NZ$39.8K

50.78%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$22.6K NZ$38.4K

70.41%

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

$145 €124

$93.9 NZ$160

54.81%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$39.03 NZ$66.4

-46.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$54.2 NZ$92.1

-26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

$32.44 NZ$55.2

50.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

$16.44 NZ$27.95

13.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$13.38 NZ$22.74

-32.29%

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

$607 €518

$835 NZ$1,419

-27.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$17.9K NZ$30.5K

-9.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$63.0 NZ$107

66.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$41.00 NZ$69.7

-0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$88.2 NZ$150

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$114 NZ$194

3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

$958 NZ$1,629

67.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

$878 NZ$1,492

40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

$1,249 NZ$2,123

143.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

$1,615 NZ$2,746

27.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

$5,675 NZ$9,647

35.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

$4,916 NZ$8,358

-13.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

$2,673 NZ$4,545

-40.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.83

-44.22%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $958 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $85.0 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $311 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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Hamilton earns 69% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $958 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamilton – a meal for two runs $85.0 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 $1,869 in Hamilton – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,869 in Hamilton versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.