Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Herceg Novi

For one person, living is cheaper in Herceg Novi: $1,257 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Herceg Novi
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,257
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Herceg Novi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Herceg Novi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,257 in Herceg Novi.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Herceg Novi $1,257

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $1,997 in Herceg Novi.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Herceg Novi $1,997

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $2,737 in Herceg Novi.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Herceg Novi $2,737

Living in Lisbon is roughly 75% more expensive than in Herceg Novi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Herceg Novi is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$11.23 €9.99
51.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$36.29 €32.28
71.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$9.16 €8.15
20.31%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$2.65 €2.36
17.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.50 €2.23
-9.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.63 €1.45
6.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.84 €2.53
20.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$3.34 €2.97
11.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.20 €1.07
-2.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.01 €0.90
84.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.93 €2.61
-47.44%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$2.98 €2.65
36.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$9.02 €8.02
43.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$7.43 €6.61
6.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$12.99 €11.56
35.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.33 €1.18
69.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.57 €1.39
11.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.63 €1.45
15.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.96 €2.63
-13.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.95 €0.85
94.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.29 €1.15
52.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.54 €1.37
-5.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.95 €0.85
-18.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$4.00 €3.56
67.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$4.37 €3.89
29.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.28 €1.14
7.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.74 €1.55
21.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.64 €1.46
41.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$44.46 €39.55
-0.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$2.84 €2.53
39.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.10 €0.97
-4.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$17.09 €15.20
0.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.72 €1.53
27.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$32.3K €28.8K
4.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$21.4K €19.0K
78.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$136 €121
20.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$13.14 €11.69
40.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$33.88 €30.14
-2.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$56.6 €50.3
-18.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$11.39 €10.13
64.00%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$7.81 €6.94
24.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$444 €395
54.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$7,024 €6,248
150.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$84.3 €75.0
23.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$33.74 €30.01
36.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$72.7 €64.7
37.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$95.8 €85.2
30.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$651 €579
144.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$399 €355
193.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,257 €1,118
126.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$888 €790
124.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$3,685 €3,278
111.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$2,421 €2,153
82.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Herceg Novi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$1,031 €917
55.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5
-23.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Herceg Novi: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Herceg Novi
$399 65.9% $770
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Herceg Novi
$228 16.5% $45
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Herceg Novi
$187 24.6% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Herceg Novi
$183 14.9% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Herceg Novi
$129 23.5% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Herceg Novi
$72 10.4% $6.8
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Herceg Novi
$59 5.7% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $651 in Herceg Novi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 55% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Herceg Novi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $228 per month, with Herceg Novi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇪 Herceg Novi
🕒 Local time
12:38 12:38 PM
13:38 1:38 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
11,059
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Herceg Novi 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Herceg Novi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Herceg Novi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Herceg Novi?
Lisbon and Herceg Novi differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $1,257 including rent). Herceg Novi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Herceg Novi?
Average pay runs 55% 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 do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Herceg Novi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $651 in Herceg Novi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Herceg Novi – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,257 in Herceg Novi versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Herceg Novi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Herceg Novi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Herceg Novi?
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.
Is Lisbon or Herceg Novi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Herceg Novi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Herceg Novi?
Expats usually find Herceg Novi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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