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 $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $524 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $865 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,205 in La Merced, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 337% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while La Merced is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.11 PEN 13.94

293.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$32.93 PEN 112

92.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$7.03 PEN 23.83

46.80%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.62 PEN 8.90

8.02%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.97 PEN 3.30

136.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.61 PEN 2.07

159.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.20 PEN 7.46

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.92 PEN 13.28

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.44 PEN 4.87

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.89 PEN 6.40

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.23 PEN 4.19

43.09%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.21 PEN 7.48

43.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$6.91 PEN 23.45

90.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$5.62 PEN 19.06

41.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$8.48 PEN 28.78

83.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.91 PEN 3.07

160.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.44 PEN 1.48

288.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.27 PEN 0.91

644.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.70 PEN 2.38

247.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.27 PEN 0.91

551.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.40 PEN 1.37

407.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.58 PEN 1.98

231.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.87 PEN 2.94

-2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.68 PEN 19.27

15.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$7.54 PEN 25.57

-25.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.71 PEN 5.79

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.04 PEN 10.31

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.26 PEN 11.07

29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.14 PEN 7.28

-62.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$8.42 PEN 28.55

119.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.31 PEN 4.44

58.78%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$19.1K PEN 64.9K

81.14%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.5K PEN 83.3K

59.52%

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

$148 €130

$56.0 PEN 190

164.33%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$12.71 PEN 43.12

60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$24.03 PEN 81.5

64.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.83 PEN 23.18

34.99%

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

$616 €539

$215 PEN 728

186.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$7,896 PEN 26.8K

108.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$50.6 PEN 172

102.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$35.83 PEN 122

16.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$90.5 PEN 307

4.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$89.3 PEN 303

36.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.11

-62.31%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for La Merced: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $33.00 in La Merced. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $177 – 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 337% 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $786 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $524 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $215 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 $524, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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 $524 versus $2,291 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.