Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lae Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lae

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,228 in Lae, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,292 in Lae, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,357 in Lae, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Lae, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Lae is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$10.46 PGK 46.03

54.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$54.4 PGK 239

16.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.86 PGK 12.60

-1.05%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.85 PGK 3.74

169.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.57 PGK 2.53

177.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.57 PGK 15.71

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$5.59 PGK 24.61

-27.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$2.19 PGK 9.66

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.60 PGK 7.02

9.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.36 PGK 6.00

29.41%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.29 PGK 18.86

-26.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$10.24 PGK 45.06

28.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$9.97 PGK 43.88

-20.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$11.49 PGK 50.5

35.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.83 PGK 21.23

-50.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.96 PGK 13.02

-42.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$6.61 PGK 29.10

-69.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.65 PGK 7.28

47.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.63 PGK 15.97

-51.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.47 PGK 10.86

-17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.74 PGK 3.25

159.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.93 PGK 4.11

-8.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$7.13 PGK 31.39

-7.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$12.59 PGK 55.4

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.82 PGK 12.40

-52.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$4.70 PGK 20.68

-36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.35 PGK 1.54

551.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.17 PGK 5.16

77.78%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.90

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$7,905 PGK 34.8K

-79.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$749 PGK 3,295

64.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,447 PGK 6,367

114.12%

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

$159 PGK 698

913.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lae: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $7,905 in Lae. 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 913% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $54.0 in Lae. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Lisbon vs $331 in Lae – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lae: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Lae, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,841 in Lae. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,228 in Lae. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,228 in Lae. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lae costs $1,228 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 Lae. 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.