Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Havana Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Havana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $964 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,538 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,112 in Havana.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 129% more expensive than Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Havana is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$3.71 CUP 89.0

328.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$29.74 CUP 714

117.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$6.47 CUP 155

62.44%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.24 CUP 29.75

131.45%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.22 CUP 53.4

0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.52 CUP 36.56

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.01 CUP 48.25

73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.46 CUP 59.1

57.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.36 CUP 80.7

-66.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.07 CUP 25.70

63.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.35 CUP 56.4

-25.11%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-9.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$4.93 CUP 118

173.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.29 CUP 127

49.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$9.56 CUP 229

66.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$5.03 CUP 121

-54.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.38 CUP 33.13

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.42 CUP 58.2

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.69 CUP 40.54

45.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.81 CUP 67.4

-34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.77 CUP 66.5

-27.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.02 CUP 24.57

89.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.14 CUP 27.35

-30.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$3.90 CUP 93.6

69.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$3.97 CUP 95.3

44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.09 CUP 50.2

-34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.93 CUP 46.22

53.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.28 CUP 30.74

85.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$24.77 CUP 595

83.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.13 CUP 75.0

37.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.48 CUP 11.53

70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$15.13 CUP 363

20.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.26 CUP 30.30

63.49%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$60.5K CUP 1.5M

-43.29%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$66.9K CUP 1.6M

-41.25%

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

$148 €127

$37.68 CUP 904

292.44%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$40.35 CUP 968

-49.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$74.3 CUP 1,782

-46.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$40.12 CUP 963

19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$6.12 CUP 147

209.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$0.88 CUP 21.16

943.18%

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

$614 €529

$114 CUP 2,741

437.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$10.1K CUP 242.3K

58.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$40.14 CUP 963

160.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$33.68 CUP 808

24.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$75.1 CUP 1,802

25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$84.5 CUP 2,027

41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$371 CUP 8,905

338.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$291 CUP 6,982

331.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,012 CUP 24.3K

199.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$596 CUP 14.3K

238.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$335 CUP 8,037

2229.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$406 CUP 9,742

952.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$33.02 CUP 792

4756.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.43

-48.72%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Havana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $371 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 4756% 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 $30.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $243 per month, with Havana 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 Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Havana differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $964 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 4756% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $371 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $964 in Havana – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Havana versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Havana 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 Havana 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 Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.