Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ilopango Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ilopango

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,628 in Ilopango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,856 in Ilopango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,084 in Ilopango.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 41% more expensive than in Ilopango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Ilopango 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$3.16 $3.16

412.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$44.55 $44.55

42.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.07 $5.07

103.55%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.96 $2.96

-4.39%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.87 $0.87

163.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.91 $0.91

73.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.98 $0.98

246.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.71 $1.71

135.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$3.18 $3.18

-65.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.47 $1.47

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.93 $2.93

-39.93%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.08 $3.08

2.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$4.86 $4.86

171.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$5.82 $5.82

36.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.06 $10.06

54.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.03 $3.03

-21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.03 $2.03

-15.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.98 $1.98

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.01 $2.01

-12.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.95 $1.95

4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.92 $0.92

108.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.02 $1.02

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.97 $3.97

65.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$12.05 $12.05

-53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.03 $1.03

29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.98 $1.98

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.61 $0.61

273.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$34.47 $34.47

32.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$7.07 $7.07

-40.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.18 $2.18

-62.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$4.85 $4.85

280.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.62 $0.62

235.48%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$20.5K $20.5K

69.51%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

50.09%

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

$148 €130

$35.32 $35.32

319.17%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$10.05 $10.05

103.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$39.50 $39.50

0.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$40.74 $40.74

17.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$10.20 $10.20

82.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$5.01 $5.01

84.03%

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

$616 €539

$103 $103

495.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,886 $1,886

771.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$19.93 $19.93

415.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$30.43 $30.43

37.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$75.1 $75.1

26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$60.0 $60.0

103.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$661 $661

147.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$1,016 $1,016

21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$600 $600

416.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$619 $619

228.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$1,684 $1,684

364.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$946 $946

363.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$1,006 $1,006

59.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-36.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $661 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 60% 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 $45.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $249 per month, with Ilopango 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 Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilopango is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $661 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $103 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,628 in Ilopango versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ilopango but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ilopango the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ilopango 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 Ilopango 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 Ilopango gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.