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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,782 in La Spezia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,655 in La Spezia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $3,527 in La Spezia, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 24% more than La Spezia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and La Spezia sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, La Spezia by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$17.57 €15.13

-9.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$81.4 €70.1

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$9.70 €8.36

8.35%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.96 €1.69

46.43%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.17 €2.73

-29.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.35 €1.16

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.78 €4.97

-39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.79 €4.13

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.45 €1.25

-21.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.04 €1.76

-14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.56 €2.20

-31.25%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.04 €3.48

-20.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$14.25 €12.27

-5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$14.69 €12.65

-46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$19.20 €16.54

-17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.54 €2.19

-9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.10 €1.81

-19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.46 €2.12

-18.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.85 €2.45

-13.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.72 €2.34

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.78 €1.53

12.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.36 €1.17

41.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.47 €0.41

68.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.84 €5.89

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.54 €5.63

-12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.68 €1.44

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.99 €1.72

49.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.70 €1.47

39.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$38.81 €33.42

17.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.79 €4.12

-10.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.99 €0.85

-17.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$33.20 €28.59

-44.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.09 €1.80

-1.44%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.0K €24.1K

22.52%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$27.0K €23.3K

45.47%

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

$148 €127

$265 €228

-44.27%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$12.87 €11.08

59.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$31.31 €26.96

26.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$62.2 €53.6

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$17.55 €15.11

7.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$10.60 €9.13

-13.40%

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

$614 €529

$587 €505

4.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$11.2K €9,639

43.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$66.4 €57.2

57.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$43.38 €37.36

-3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$82.6 €71.1

13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$122 €105

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$769 €662

111.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$608 €524

106.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,178 €1,014

157.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$912 €785

121.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$2,998 €2,581

160.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,432 €2,094

75.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,799 €1,549

-10.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.24

-10.14%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for La Spezia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $769 in La Spezia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in La Spezia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $81.0 in La Spezia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $333 – making Lisbon 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 Spezia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,673 in La Spezia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Spezia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $587 in La Spezia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in La Spezia, where all-in costs run around $1,782, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In La Spezia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Spezia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Spezia. 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.