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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $877 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,453 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,029 in Havana.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 164% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Havana is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$3.81 CUP 91.4

354.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$27.24 CUP 654

132.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$4.99 CUP 120

128.26%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.08 CUP 26.03

195.37%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$1.68 CUP 40.26

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.01 CUP 24.33

74.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$1.56 CUP 37.42

130.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$1.99 CUP 47.65

70.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$3.79 CUP 90.9

-67.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.52 CUP 36.47

30.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.14 CUP 51.4

-28.97%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$3.62 CUP 86.9

11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$4.37 CUP 105

209.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$4.58 CUP 110

83.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$8.70 CUP 209

109.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$5.94 CUP 142

-61.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.09 CUP 26.17

59.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.85 CUP 92.3

-51.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.33 CUP 55.9

12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.71 CUP 89.0

-48.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$4.07 CUP 97.6

-48.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.81 CUP 19.55

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.40 CUP 33.68

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$1.94 CUP 46.68

249.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$4.09 CUP 98.2

39.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.53 CUP 36.68

-9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.07 CUP 49.64

7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$1.23 CUP 29.63

95.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$22.69 CUP 545

106.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$2.63 CUP 63.0

58.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.44 CUP 10.47

159.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$20.37 CUP 489

-13.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.25 CUP 29.97

85.60%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

-42.16%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

-32.06%

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

$170 €147

$47.74 CUP 1,146

256.79%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$39.30 CUP 943

-50.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$90.8 CUP 2,179

-62.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$19.09 CUP 458

151.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$13.13 CUP 315

51.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$0.82 CUP 19.65

1109.76%

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

$717 €619

$113 CUP 2,708

535.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

149.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$37.64 CUP 903

178.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$36.87 CUP 885

27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$69.9 CUP 1,678

47.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$56.9 CUP 1,367

117.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$256 CUP 6,148

554.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$216 CUP 5,184

488.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$949 CUP 22.8K

214.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$538 CUP 12.9K

270.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$334 CUP 8,012

2244.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$399 CUP 9,564

1068.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$33.40 CUP 802

4638.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

9.1

-58.35%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $256 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 4639% 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 $27.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $261 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 164% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $877 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4639% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $256 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 $27.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $877 in Havana – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $877 in Havana versus $2,316 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 164% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.