Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolasin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolasin: $1,198 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Kolasin, Montenegro
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Kolasin
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,198
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Kolasin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,198 in Kolasin.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Kolasin $1,198

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,873 in Kolasin.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Kolasin $1,873

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,549 in Kolasin.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Kolasin $2,549

Living in Lisbon is roughly 85% more expensive than in Kolasin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Kolasin is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$5.49 €4.93
203.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$27.78 €24.96
122.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$8.90 €8.00
27.64%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$1.42 €1.28
109.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$1.78 €1.60
28.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.15 €1.03
51.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$2.76 €2.47
23.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.81 €2.53
17.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.15 €1.03
0.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$0.97 €0.87
96.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.79 €2.51
-45.88%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$3.10 €2.78
29.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$9.18 €8.25
40.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$7.16 €6.43
8.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$12.77 €11.47
39.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.32 €1.19
74.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.51 €1.36
14.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.58 €1.42
17.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$2.89 €2.59
-10.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$0.89 €0.80
104.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.24 €1.12
58.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.52 €1.37
-3.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.93 €0.83
-22.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$3.99 €3.59
64.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$4.52 €4.06
24.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.23 €1.10
10.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.78 €1.59
20.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$1.64 €1.48
42.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$33.50 €30.09
33.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$1.14 €1.02
237.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.09 €0.98
-1.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$16.92 €15.20
-2.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.70 €1.52
29.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$32.6K €29.3K
4.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$21.6K €19.4K
79.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$88.1 €79.2
82.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$13.18 €11.84
39.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$28.07 €25.21
16.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$44.19 €39.70
0.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$16.25 €14.60
17.54%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$7.59 €6.82
26.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$441 €396
51.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$6,894 €6,193
155.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$85.1 €76.4
19.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$34.15 €30.67
30.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$72.1 €64.8
36.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$95.8 €86.0
29.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$662 €594
143.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$490 €440
142.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,359 €1,220
107.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$995 €894
102.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$3,647 €3,276
114.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$2,375 €2,133
92.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Kolasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$851 €765
85.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
7
-45.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kolasin: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Kolasin
$490 58.8% $700
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Kolasin
$224 17.8% $48
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Kolasin
$119 51% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Kolasin
$129 39.1% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Kolasin
$129 22.1% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Kolasin
$59 6.8% $4.4
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Kolasin
$47 26.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $662 in Kolasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 85% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $28 in Kolasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $224 per month, with Kolasin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇪 Kolasin
🕒 Local time
20:21 8:21 PM
21:21 9:21 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
2,900
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Kolasin 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Kolasin

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 Kolasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Kolasin?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,198 in Kolasin, so Kolasin is about 46% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Kolasin?
Average pay runs 85% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Kolasin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $662 in Kolasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Kolasin?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,198 in Kolasin – Kolasin is about 46% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Lisbon and in Kolasin?
A monthly transit pass in Kolasin runs roughly 25% less than in Lisbon. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,198 in Kolasin versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kolasin but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kolasin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Kolasin?
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 Kolasin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kolasin are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Kolasin?
Expats usually find Kolasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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