😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $958 in Koh Lanta.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,708 in Koh Lanta.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,458 in Koh Lanta.
😐Living in Lisbon is roughly 131% more expensive than Koh Lanta, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Koh Lanta is 29% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91€13.70
$3.79฿124
319.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8€55.8
$36.38฿1,188
78.04%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51€9.05
$7.00฿229
50.14%
Cappuccino
$2.87€2.47
$2.39฿78.0
20.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24€1.93
$0.55฿17.98
307.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50€1.29
$0.29฿9.33
417.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.49€3.01
$1.92฿62.6
81.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88€3.34
$2.91฿95.2
33.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14€0.98
$2.01฿65.8
-43.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75€1.51
$1.72฿56.1
1.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.51
$2.04฿66.7
-13.73%
Eggs
$3.22€2.77
$2.07฿67.5
55.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.49€11.61
$17.32฿566
-22.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.91€6.81
$3.24฿106
144.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.87€13.67
$11.84฿387
34.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.31€1.99
$3.03฿98.9
-23.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70€1.46
$1.46฿47.75
16.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01€1.73
$2.13฿69.6
-5.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.46€2.12
$1.81฿59.0
35.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84€1.59
$1.44฿47.01
27.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00€1.72
$1.30฿42.43
53.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.93€1.66
$0.92฿30.15
109.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79€0.68
$0.46฿15.11
71.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61€5.69
$3.88฿127
70.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.72€4.93
$17.27฿564
-66.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37€1.18
$1.61฿52.6
-14.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97€2.56
$2.52฿82.2
17.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.37€2.04
$1.08฿35.18
119.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.56€39.22
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.29€3.69
$2.47฿80.8
73.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82€0.70
$0.83฿27.26
-1.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.30€15.76
$10.95฿358
67.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.06€1.78
$1.08฿35.20
90.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K€29.5K
$21.9K฿716.7K
56.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K€33.8K
$26.6K฿869.2K
47.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148€127
$118฿3,859
25.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.52€17.67
$13.25฿433
54.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.61€34.10
$17.75฿580
123.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.85€41.19
$52.2฿1,706
-8.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92€16.29
$14.19฿463
33.33%
Cinema Ticket
$9.18€7.91
$7.82฿255
17.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$614€529
$633฿20.7K
-3.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.0K€13.8K
$14.4K฿470.1K
11.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€90.1
$56.3฿1,840
85.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06€36.21
$33.56฿1,096
25.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.0€80.9
$107฿3,493
-12.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120€103
$81.9฿2,674
46.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,628€1,401
$365฿11.9K
345.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,255€1,081
$263฿8,601
376.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,030€2,609
$1,256฿41.0K
141.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,020€1,739
$902฿29.5K
123.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,800€6,715
$2,244฿73.3K
247.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,273€3,678
$1,598฿52.2K
167.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Koh Lanta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,603€1,380
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
5.33
-28.52%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026
Last update for Koh Lanta: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $365 in Koh Lanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Koh Lanta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $263 per month, with Koh Lanta 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 Koh Lanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Koh Lanta?
Lisbon and Koh Lanta differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $958 including rent). Koh Lanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Koh Lanta?
You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,436 in Koh Lanta to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and Koh Lanta?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $365 in Koh Lanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Koh Lanta?
Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $633 in Koh Lanta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Koh Lanta – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $65.0 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 $958 in Koh Lanta versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Lanta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Lanta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Koh Lanta?
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 Koh Lanta safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Koh Lanta 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 Koh Lanta?
Expats usually find Koh Lanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.