Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kos Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $1,502 in Kos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $2,330 in Kos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $3,157 in Kos.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 50% more expensive than Kos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Kos 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$17.15 €14.59

-7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$75.8 €64.5

-15.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$11.97 €10.18

-13.37%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$4.82 €4.10

-40.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.90

$3.30 €2.81

-32.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.10 €0.94

40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$4.65 €3.96

-27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$7.05 €6.00

-44.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$2.45 €2.08

-54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.63 €1.38

10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.49 €2.12

-29.72%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$4.17 €3.55

-23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$13.39 €11.40

0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$9.71 €8.26

-19.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$13.77 €11.71

13.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.22 €1.89

2.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.14 €1.82

-20.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.48 €1.26

30.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$2.04 €1.73

23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.27 €1.08

40.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$1.25 €1.07

64.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$0.98 €0.84

97.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.80 €0.68

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$5.29 €4.51

25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$7.25 €6.17

-20.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.00 €1.70

-33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$2.80 €2.39

3.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.53 €1.30

53.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$45.64 €38.84

0.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$4.58 €3.90

-8.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$13.82 €11.76

35.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$2.17 €1.85

-3.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.6K €29.5K

$31.2K €26.5K

11.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.7K €33.7K

$27.0K €23.0K

46.62%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$146 €124

$213 €181

-31.50%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.84 €17.73

$22.88 €19.47

-8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$36.02 €30.65

10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$49.12 €41.80

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$26.38 €22.45

-28.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$9.41 €8.01

-3.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$618 €526

$420 €358

46.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$6,074 €5,169

166.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$90.0 €76.6

16.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$38.36 €32.64

5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$88.3 €75.2

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$108 €91.9

13.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$485 €412

230.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$377 €321

233.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$755 €642

306.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$619 €527

224.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$3,435 €2,923

124.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$2,236 €1,903

95.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$944 €803

73.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.43

-14.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Kos: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $485 in Kos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 74% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $76 in Kos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $287 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 Kos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kos wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 74% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $485 in Kos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kos – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Lisbon versus $1,502 in Kos – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,502 in Kos versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kos but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,502 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Kos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.