Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Invercargill

For one person, living is cheaper in Invercargill: $1,425 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Invercargill, New Zealand
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Invercargill
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,425
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Invercargill

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 Invercargill actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,425 in Invercargill, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Invercargill $1,425

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,122 in Invercargill, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Invercargill $2,122

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $2,819 in Invercargill, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Invercargill $2,819

Lisbon costs about 55% more than Invercargill, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lisbon and Invercargill sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Invercargill by 5%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$14.31 NZ$25.41
16.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$62.1 NZ$110
-0.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$8.28 NZ$14.71
37.20%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.17 NZ$5.63
-6.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.67 NZ$2.97
37.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.13 NZ$3.79
-18.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.79 NZ$4.96
21.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.86 NZ$5.08
15.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.73 NZ$3.06
-32.95%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.91 NZ$3.39
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.77 NZ$3.15
-14.69%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$5.78 NZ$10.25
-30.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$8.67 NZ$15.40
49.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$8.78 NZ$15.58
-11.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$12.05 NZ$21.39
47.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.70 NZ$4.80
-14.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.40 NZ$4.26
-27.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.61 NZ$4.63
-28.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.44 NZ$6.10
-24.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$3.29 NZ$5.84
-44.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.66 NZ$2.95
18.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.30 NZ$4.09
-36.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.05 NZ$1.86
-31.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$21.03 NZ$37.34
-68.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$8.42 NZ$14.95
-33.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.90 NZ$5.14
-53.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.29 NZ$5.85
-34.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.46 NZ$2.60
59.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.24 NZ$3.98
71.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.89 NZ$3.35
-43.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$28.04 NZ$49.78
-41.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.58 NZ$2.81
39.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$24.1K NZ$42.8K
41.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$18.6K NZ$33.0K
108.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$113 NZ$201
42.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$32.59 NZ$57.9
-43.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$42.59 NZ$75.6
-23.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$28.26 NZ$50.2
57.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$14.12 NZ$25.07
35.27%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$8.86 NZ$15.73
8.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$597 NZ$1,059
11.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$59.1 NZ$105
72.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$35.27 NZ$62.6
26.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$70.3 NZ$125
40.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$78.2 NZ$139
58.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$611 NZ$1,085
163.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$550 NZ$977
116.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$835 NZ$1,482
236.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$769 NZ$1,365
161.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$5,776 NZ$10.3K
35.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$5,013 NZ$8,899
-8.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Invercargill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,756 NZ$4,894
-42.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.72
-42.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Invercargill: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Invercargill
$550 53.7% $640
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Invercargill
$301 10.5% $29
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Invercargill
$212 12.5% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Invercargill
$188 11.3% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Invercargill
$109 34.1% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Invercargill
$46 27.8% $18
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Invercargill
$18 * 72.3% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $611 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 75% 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 $62 in Lisbon versus $62 in Invercargill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $301 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇿 Invercargill
🕒 Local time
23:58 11:58 PM
12:58 12:58 PM
13 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
56,200
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Invercargill 19,130 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Invercargill

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 Invercargill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Invercargill?
Lisbon costs about 55% more than Invercargill, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Invercargill?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,138 in Invercargill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Invercargill?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Invercargill, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $611 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Invercargill?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,425 in Invercargill. That makes Invercargill about 36% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Invercargill?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Invercargill?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,425 in Invercargill. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Invercargill – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Invercargill?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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