Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Isle of Islay Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Isle of Islay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,258 per month in Lisbon vs $2,314 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,328 per month in Lisbon vs $3,486 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,397 per month in Lisbon vs $4,658 in Isle of Islay, rent included.

Lisbon is about 2% cheaper than Isle of Islay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Isle of Islay sit above the global median โ€“ Lisbon by 68%, Isle of Islay by 72%.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.82 โ‚ฌ13.43
$20.71 ยฃ15.30
-23.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.4 โ‚ฌ54.7
$95.0 ยฃ70.2
-32.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.37 โ‚ฌ8.80
$10.39 ยฃ7.68
-0.19%
Cappuccino
$2.89 โ‚ฌ2.46
$4.41 ยฃ3.26
-34.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 โ‚ฌ1.90
$2.22 ยฃ1.64
0.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 โ‚ฌ1.31
$1.32 ยฃ0.98
17.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.38 โ‚ฌ2.87
$5.72 ยฃ4.23
-40.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 โ‚ฌ3.31
$5.82 ยฃ4.30
-32.99%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 โ‚ฌ0.95
$2.09 ยฃ1.54
-46.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 โ‚ฌ1.53
$1.50 ยฃ1.11
20.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.48
$2.49 ยฃ1.84
-29.72%
Eggs
$3.17 โ‚ฌ2.69
$4.72 ยฃ3.49
-32.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.50 โ‚ฌ11.46
$8.04 ยฃ5.94
67.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.79 โ‚ฌ6.61
$9.55 ยฃ7.06
-18.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.65 โ‚ฌ13.29
$15.72 ยฃ11.62
-0.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.94
$3.09 ยฃ2.29
-26.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.46
$2.44 ยฃ1.80
-29.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 โ‚ฌ1.64
$2.71 ยฃ2.00
-28.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.52 โ‚ฌ2.14
$4.61 ยฃ3.41
-45.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.52
$2.16 ยฃ1.60
-17.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.05 โ‚ฌ1.74
$1.87 ยฃ1.38
9.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.94 โ‚ฌ1.64
$1.26 ยฃ0.93
53.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
$2.10 ยฃ1.55
-61.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.65 โ‚ฌ5.65
$19.10 ยฃ14.12
-65.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.79 โ‚ฌ4.91
$12.11 ยฃ8.95
-52.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 โ‚ฌ1.13
$3.17 ยฃ2.34
-58.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 โ‚ฌ2.47
$2.96 ยฃ2.19
-1.69%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 โ‚ฌ1.99
$3.42 ยฃ2.52
-31.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.70 โ‚ฌ38.80
$88.3 ยฃ65.3
-48.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.20 โ‚ฌ3.57
$4.85 ยฃ3.59
-13.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
$1.53 ยฃ1.13
-47.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.70 โ‚ฌ15.88
$23.37 ยฃ17.27
-19.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
$1.89 ยฃ1.39
10.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K โ‚ฌ29.4K
$38.6K ยฃ28.5K
-10.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K โ‚ฌ33.7K
$47.8K ยฃ35.3K
-17.08%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 โ‚ฌ124
$236 ยฃ175
-38.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.84 โ‚ฌ17.69
$14.48 ยฃ10.70
43.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.78 โ‚ฌ33.77
$47.06 ยฃ34.78
-15.47%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.58 โ‚ฌ41.25
$46.24 ยฃ34.17
5.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.85 โ‚ฌ16.00
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 โ‚ฌ7.70
$12.71 ยฃ9.40
-28.64%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$618 โ‚ฌ525
$1,602 ยฃ1,184
-61.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K โ‚ฌ13.7K
$16.1K ยฃ11.9K
0.31%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 โ‚ฌ88.8
$97.6 ยฃ72.1
7.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 โ‚ฌ34.42
$65.8 ยฃ48.62
-38.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.8 โ‚ฌ79.6
$138 ยฃ102
-31.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 โ‚ฌ104
$120 ยฃ88.7
2.12%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,604 โ‚ฌ1,362
$1,230 ยฃ909
30.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 โ‚ฌ1,070
$1,005 ยฃ742
25.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,065 โ‚ฌ2,602
$2,022 ยฃ1,494
51.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,008 โ‚ฌ1,705
$1,695 ยฃ1,253
18.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,702 โ‚ฌ6,539
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,367 โ‚ฌ3,707
-
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Isle of Islay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,638 โ‚ฌ1,391
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
5.9
-35.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Isle of Islay: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,230 in Isle of Islay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Lisbon versus $95 in Isle of Islay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $334 โ€“ 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 Isle of Islay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isle of Islay cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes โ€“ Isle of Islay is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,387 per month in Lisbon and $3,472 in Isle of Islay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or Isle of Islay?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon and $95.0 in Isle of Islay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon vs Isle of Islay?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,258 in Lisbon and $2,314 in Isle of Islay. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for Lisbon or Isle of Islay?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,258, than in Isle of Islay at $2,314. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Isle of Islay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lisbon or Isle of Islay more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Lisbon โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Isle of Islay?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Isle of Islay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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