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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $846 in Lae, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,533 in Lae, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,220 in Lae, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 168% more than Lae, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Lae is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$25.06 PGK 109

-29.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$52.3 PGK 227

23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.75 PGK 11.92

18.55%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.80 PGK 3.49

211.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.57 PGK 2.49

192.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.40 PGK 14.75

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$5.42 PGK 23.54

-33.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.00 PGK 8.67

-41.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.43 PGK 6.21

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.26 PGK 5.49

23.81%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.94 PGK 17.09

1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$9.56 PGK 41.49

38.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$9.27 PGK 40.24

-9.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.90 PGK 47.29

67.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.60 PGK 19.97

-49.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.80 PGK 12.13

-38.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$6.22 PGK 26.98

-68.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.61 PGK 7.00

63.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$3.40 PGK 14.74

-44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.30 PGK 9.98

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.65 PGK 2.84

121.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.86 PGK 3.74

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$6.67 PGK 28.94

5.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$12.59 PGK 54.6

-52.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.63 PGK 11.40

-48.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$4.37 PGK 18.98

-50.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.35 PGK 1.53

580.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.00 PGK 4.33

125.00%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

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

$19.01 €16.38

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$448 PGK 1,943

271.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$268 PGK 1,162

358.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,265 PGK 5,488

130.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$620 PGK 2,691

226.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$158 PGK 685

926.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lae: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $448 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 927% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $52.0 in Lae. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Lisbon vs $310 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 168% 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 $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,269 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 $2,268 in Lisbon and $846 in Lae. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lae, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Lae it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lae costs $846 versus $2,268 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.