😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,059 in Koh Lipe.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $4,063 in Koh Lipe.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $6,067 in Koh Lipe.
😐Living in Lisbon is roughly 7% more expensive than Koh Lipe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon65% above, Koh Lipe54% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91€13.70
$7.23฿236
120.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8€55.8
$73.7฿2,409
-12.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51€9.05
$13.62฿445
-22.83%
Cappuccino
$2.87€2.47
$4.96฿162
-42.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24€1.93
$1.17฿38.33
91.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50€1.30
$0.59฿19.33
154.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.49€3.01
$3.89฿127
-10.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88€3.34
$6.02฿197
-35.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14€0.98
$2.80฿91.5
-59.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75€1.51
$2.36฿77.3
-25.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.51
$2.81฿91.9
-37.37%
Eggs
$3.22€2.77
$2.90฿94.7
11.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.49€11.62
$24.48฿800
-44.89%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.91€6.81
$4.56฿149
73.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.87€13.67
$16.82฿550
-5.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.31€1.99
$4.20฿137
-45.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70€1.46
$2.10฿68.6
-19.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01€1.73
$2.96฿96.6
-32.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.46€2.12
$2.51฿82.1
-1.99%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84€1.59
$2.00฿65.2
-8.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00€1.72
$1.81฿59.2
10.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.93€1.66
$1.24฿40.39
55.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79€0.68
$0.64฿21.07
23.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61€5.69
$5.40฿176
22.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.72€4.93
$24.13฿789
-76.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37€1.18
$2.30฿75.1
-40.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97€2.56
$3.50฿115
-15.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.37€2.04
$2.08฿67.9
13.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.56€39.23
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.29€3.69
$4.49฿147
-4.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82€0.70
$1.57฿51.3
-47.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.30€15.76
$20.65฿675
-11.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.06€1.78
$2.02฿66.1
1.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K€29.5K
$41.1K฿1.3M
-16.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K€33.8K
$50.2K฿1.6M
-21.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148€127
$142฿4,636
4.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.52€17.67
$15.79฿516
29.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.61€34.11
$21.55฿705
83.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.85€41.20
$76.1฿2,486
-37.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92€16.29
$21.38฿699
-11.51%
Cinema Ticket
$9.18€7.91
$10.98฿359
-16.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$614€529
$884฿28.9K
-30.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.0K€13.8K
$19.8K฿647.2K
-18.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€90.1
$62.0฿2,028
68.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06€36.22
$36.23฿1,184
16.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.0€80.9
$122฿3,996
-23.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120€103
$88.6฿2,897
35.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,628€1,402
$1,549฿50.6K
5.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,255€1,081
$1,097฿35.9K
14.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,030€2,609
$5,109฿167.0K
-40.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,020€1,740
$3,686฿120.5K
-45.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,800€6,716
$9,096฿297.3K
-14.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,273€3,679
$6,675฿218.2K
-35.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,603€1,381
-
-
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 Lipe: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,549 in Koh Lipe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $74.0 in Koh Lipe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $368 per month, with Lisbon 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 Lipe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Koh Lipe?
Koh Lipe wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Koh Lipe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon vs Koh Lipe?
You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $3,089 in Koh Lipe 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon vs Koh Lipe?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,549 in Koh Lipe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and Koh Lipe?
Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $884 in Koh Lipe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon vs Koh Lipe?
Dining out is cheaper in Koh Lipe – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or Koh Lipe?
At $2,059 in Koh Lipe versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Lipe but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Lipe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Koh Lipe?
Both work as nomad bases, but Koh Lipe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,059 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Koh Lipe hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Koh Lipe?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Koh Lipe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Koh Lipe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.