😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,164 in Koh Lipe.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $3,649 in Koh Lipe.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $5,134 in Koh Lipe.
🌍Living in Lisbon is roughly 7% more expensive than in Koh Lipe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon69% above, Koh Lipe58% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.30€14.87
$7.35฿242
135.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.3€54.4
$52.1฿1,712
21.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.39€9.79
$14.24฿468
-20.01%
Cappuccino
$3.19€2.74
$4.51฿148
-29.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45€2.10
$1.36฿44.79
80.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76€1.52
$0.78฿25.56
125.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.59€3.09
$3.88฿128
-7.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39€2.92
$5.99฿197
-43.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.06
$2.28฿75.1
-45.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.98€1.71
$1.78฿58.4
11.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.52€1.31
$1.91฿62.7
-20.42%
Eggs
$4.04€3.47
$2.75฿90.3
46.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.54€11.64
$24.46฿804
-44.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.39€7.21
$4.32฿142
94.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.25€15.69
$13.99฿460
30.45%
Apples(1kg)
$2.29€1.97
$3.80฿125
-39.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.74€1.50
$2.05฿67.4
-15.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.86€1.60
$2.91฿95.6
-36.08%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.63€2.26
$2.70฿88.9
-2.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$1.92฿63.1
-
Onion(1kg)
$2.09€1.80
$1.69฿55.6
23.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.44€1.24
$1.37฿44.99
5.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84€0.72
$0.67฿22.11
25.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78€5.83
$5.37฿176
26.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.71€4.91
$23.02฿757
-75.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.18
$2.31฿75.8
-40.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22€1.91
$3.58฿118
-37.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.40€2.06
$3.33฿110
-27.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.78€40.22
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.17€3.59
$4.56฿150
-8.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.14€0.98
$1.63฿53.6
-30.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.68€15.20
$5.68฿187
211.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.32€2.00
$2.15฿70.7
7.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€30.4K
$40.0K฿1.3M
-11.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.4K€35.6K
$40.9K฿1.3M
1.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$170€146
$119฿3,919
42.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.34€16.62
$12.66฿416
52.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.64€28.92
$20.00฿657
68.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.10€41.35
$65.6฿2,158
-26.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.90€17.11
$13.96฿459
42.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.92€8.53
$9.86฿324
0.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$717€617
$705฿23.2K
1.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.5K€15.0K
$14.3K฿471.8K
21.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€90.1
$67.8฿2,228
54.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.95€40.36
$30.25฿995
55.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€88.9
$101฿3,322
2.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124€107
$92.7฿3,048
33.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,677€1,441
$1,859฿61.1K
-9.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,271€1,093
$1,232฿40.5K
3.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,985€2,566
$5,182฿170.4K
-42.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,992€1,713
$3,105฿102.1K
-35.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,826€6,728
$8,981฿295.3K
-12.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,658€4,004
$6,490฿213.4K
-28.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Koh Lipe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,583€1,361
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.79
5.57
-31.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026
Last update for Koh Lipe: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,859 in Koh Lipe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $52.0 in Koh Lipe. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $340, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.
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 and in Koh Lipe?
You'd need roughly $3,474 in Lisbon and $3,247 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 compared to Koh Lipe?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,859 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 in Koh Lipe?
Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $705 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 and in Koh Lipe?
Dining out is cheaper in Koh Lipe – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $63.0 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 in Koh Lipe?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Koh Lipe is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
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 $2,164 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.