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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,212 in Lae, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,277 in Lae, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,342 in Lae, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 82% more than Lae, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Lae is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$10.60 PGK 46.23

50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$54.6 PGK 238

18.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.82 PGK 12.30

1.77%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.83 PGK 3.60

169.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.63 PGK 2.73

138.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.70 PGK 16.15

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.74 PGK 25.05

-32.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.11 PGK 9.22

-45.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.53 PGK 6.68

14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.34 PGK 5.86

31.34%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.31 PGK 18.81

-25.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.13 PGK 44.19

33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.70 PGK 42.29

-18.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.51 PGK 50.2

37.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.84 PGK 21.12

-52.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.92 PGK 12.73

-41.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$6.70 PGK 29.22

-70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.72 PGK 7.52

43.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$3.67 PGK 16.00

-49.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.54 PGK 11.09

-21.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.70 PGK 3.03

175.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.00 PGK 4.34

-21.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$7.04 PGK 30.69

-6.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$12.75 PGK 55.6

-55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.79 PGK 12.15

-50.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$4.56 PGK 19.89

-34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.35 PGK 1.51

577.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.17 PGK 5.10

76.07%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$7,912 PGK 34.5K

-79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$758 PGK 3,306

65.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,416 PGK 6,178

113.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$159 PGK 695

906.44%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lae: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $7,912 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 906% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $55.0 in Lae. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $329 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 82% 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,819 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,212 in Lae. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,212 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 $1,212 versus $2,210 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.