Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Invercargill Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Invercargill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,575 in Invercargill, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $2,457 in Invercargill, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $3,338 in Invercargill, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 45% more than Invercargill, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Invercargill sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Invercargill by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$11.85 NZ$20.09

32.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$73.0 NZ$124

-13.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$8.43 NZ$14.29

23.96%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.50 NZ$5.93

-16.86%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.75 NZ$2.96

30.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.47 NZ$2.49

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$6.09 NZ$10.32

-41.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.74 NZ$8.03

-16.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.51 NZ$2.56

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.81 NZ$3.06

-2.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.79 NZ$3.04

-5.03%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$5.66 NZ$9.60

-42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$8.12 NZ$13.76

63.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$9.49 NZ$16.09

-18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$13.20 NZ$22.38

19.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.84 NZ$4.81

-19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.36 NZ$4.00

-29.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.67 NZ$4.52

-24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$3.67 NZ$6.21

-32.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.98 NZ$3.36

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.76 NZ$2.98

17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.47 NZ$4.20

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.10 NZ$1.87

-24.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$22.35 NZ$37.88

-70.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$8.46 NZ$14.33

-34.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$4.02 NZ$6.81

-66.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.51 NZ$5.96

-14.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.59 NZ$2.70

42.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$62.9 NZ$107

-26.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$2.34 NZ$3.96

80.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.88 NZ$3.19

-54.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$30.28 NZ$51.3

-37.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.65 NZ$2.80

22.42%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$25.5K NZ$43.2K

37.27%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$19.8K NZ$33.6K

99.82%

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

$148 €128

$102 NZ$174

44.53%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$36.37 NZ$61.7

-43.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$49.29 NZ$83.6

-19.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$29.70 NZ$50.4

62.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$12.26 NZ$20.78

50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$9.74 NZ$16.52

-6.57%

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

$615 €532

$592 NZ$1,004

3.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$12.2K NZ$20.7K

33.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$66.9 NZ$113

51.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$35.28 NZ$59.8

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$81.3 NZ$138

13.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$83.8 NZ$142

45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$641 NZ$1,087

151.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$578 NZ$980

116.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$869 NZ$1,474

253.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,079 NZ$1,829

88.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$5,735 NZ$9,722

35.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$5,153 NZ$8,736

-16.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$3,099 NZ$5,253

-48.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.87

-44.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $641 in Invercargill. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 93% higher in Invercargill, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $73.0 in Invercargill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $308 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 45% more than Invercargill, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $2,362 in Invercargill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Invercargill, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $73.0 in Invercargill. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,575, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Invercargill costs $1,575 versus $2,280 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Invercargill. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.