Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and La Merced Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and La Merced

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $566 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $926 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $1,286 in La Merced, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 306% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while La Merced is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$4.49 PEN 15.15

291.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$35.82 PEN 121

75.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$7.03 PEN 23.73

64.72%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.42 PEN 11.53

-9.36%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.14 PEN 3.86

118.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.62 PEN 2.10

180.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.71 PEN 9.15

28.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.59 PEN 15.48

-25.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.68 PEN 5.67

-31.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.06 PEN 6.94

-7.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.30 PEN 4.40

15.38%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.42 PEN 8.16

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$7.50 PEN 25.31

77.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$5.96 PEN 20.12

34.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$9.09 PEN 30.66

98.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.00 PEN 3.38

135.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.47 PEN 1.57

272.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.31 PEN 1.05

496.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.70 PEN 2.38

264.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.31 PEN 1.06

493.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.47 PEN 1.59

346.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.62 PEN 2.09

140.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.95 PEN 3.20

-13.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$5.94 PEN 20.05

19.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$7.64 PEN 25.76

-22.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.98 PEN 6.68

-33.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.31 PEN 11.18

-35.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$4.12 PEN 13.91

-0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.05 PEN 6.93

-44.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$7.37 PEN 24.87

131.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.72 PEN 5.81

34.30%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

52.84%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

60.04%

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

$169 €147

$70.0 PEN 236

140.65%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$17.07 PEN 57.6

13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$28.18 PEN 95.1

18.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$7.60 PEN 25.64

25.92%

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

$696 €606

$183 PEN 618

280.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

30.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$54.6 PEN 184

92.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$35.22 PEN 119

35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$84.8 PEN 286

18.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$80.7 PEN 272

54.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.94

-57.72%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Merced: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in La Merced. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $192 – making La Merced the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 La Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 306% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $849 in La Merced. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,296 in Lisbon and $566 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Lisbon and $183 in La Merced. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $566, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $566 versus $2,296 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with La Merced. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.