Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and La Merced

For one person, living is cheaper in La Merced: $558 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
La Merced, Peru
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
La Merced
🇵🇪 Peru
$558
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in La Merced

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

A single person spends $2,206 per month in Lisbon vs $558 in La Merced, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • La Merced $558

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Lisbon vs $910 in La Merced, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • La Merced $910

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $1,263 in La Merced, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • La Merced $1,263

Lisbon costs about 295% more than La Merced, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 63% above the global median, while La Merced is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €14.98
$4.38 PEN 15.10
284.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.2
$34.86 PEN 120
75.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.75
$7.01 PEN 24.19
56.63%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.71
$3.18 PEN 10.97
-4.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.08 PEN 3.72
111.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.49
$0.65 PEN 2.24
158.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.05
$2.57 PEN 8.86
33.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.47
$4.29 PEN 14.81
-8.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.58 PEN 5.44
-27.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.07 PEN 7.15
-8.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.33
$1.28 PEN 4.43
17.19%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$2.35 PEN 8.11
75.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.55
$7.33 PEN 25.29
77.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.15
$5.78 PEN 19.94
39.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.89
$8.68 PEN 29.94
106.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.92 PEN 3.17
146.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.45 PEN 1.56
286.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$0.30 PEN 1.04
506.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$0.71 PEN 2.46
278.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$0.28 PEN 0.96
532.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$0.45 PEN 1.55
331.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$0.60 PEN 2.07
143.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.87 PEN 3.01
-12.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.91
$5.63 PEN 19.42
18.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.01
$7.33 PEN 25.30
-23.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.90 PEN 6.56
-32.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$3.08 PEN 10.61
-30.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.04
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.10
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$3.43 PEN 11.84
16.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$2.07 PEN 7.14
-69.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.81
$7.64 PEN 26.37
147.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.02
$1.64 PEN 5.65
39.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.6K
$21.7K PEN 75.0K
53.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$28.9K PEN 99.8K
33.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$66.7 PEN 230
137.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.58
$15.80 PEN 54.5
11.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.70
$27.06 PEN 93.4
15.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.66
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.86
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.51
$7.14 PEN 24.63
34.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €598
$318 PEN 1,096
112.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.6K
$12.7K PEN 43.6K
48.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €90.8
$53.3 PEN 184
91.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.77
$35.12 PEN 121
30.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €90.8
$83.7 PEN 289
22.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €108
$79.1 PEN 273
54.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,457
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,055
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,509
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,793
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,960
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,176
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
La Merced
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,499
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
8.78
-56.49%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for La Merced: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
La Merced
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
La Merced
$185 32.6% $90
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
La Merced
$123 50% $123
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
La Merced
$110 47.1% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
La Merced
$113 32.5% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
La Merced
$14 * 77.6% $50
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
La Merced
$14 * 77.2% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Lisbon versus $35 in La Merced. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $185 – making La Merced the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇪 La Merced
🕒 Local time
22:55 10:55 PM
17:55 5:55 PM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
8,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3.45 PEN (1 PEN = 0.29 USD). 1 EUR = 3.88 PEN (1 PEN = 0.258 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon La Merced 8,880 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • La Merced

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 La Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or La Merced?
Lisbon costs about 295% more than La Merced, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in La Merced?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,309 per month in Lisbon and $837 in La Merced. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to La Merced?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $558 in La Merced. That makes La Merced about 75% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in La Merced?
Kindergarten costs $674 per month in Lisbon and $318 in La Merced. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Lisbon or in La Merced?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $558, than in Lisbon at $2,206. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or La Merced?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $558 in La Merced to $2,206 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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