Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Leon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Leon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $774 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,365 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $1,956 in Leon, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 197% more than Leon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Leon is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$9.83 NIO 360

78.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$37.74 NIO 1,382

66.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$7.41 NIO 272

56.28%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.52 NIO 92.2

23.02%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.83 NIO 30.53

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.67 NIO 24.45

159.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.44 NIO 52.8

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.05 NIO 75.2

67.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.29 NIO 47.34

-10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.33 NIO 85.4

-18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.70 NIO 62.2

-11.76%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.32 NIO 84.9

71.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$11.57 NIO 424

14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.48 NIO 237

23.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$7.10 NIO 260

154.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.68 NIO 135

-36.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.59 NIO 21.44

196.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.75 NIO 64.1

5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.22 NIO 81.3

14.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.93 NIO 144

-53.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.14 NIO 78.5

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.05 NIO 38.35

41.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.08 NIO 39.39

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$2.58 NIO 94.6

175.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$14.80 NIO 542

-60.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.46 NIO 53.4

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.31 NIO 84.7

-7.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.60 NIO 58.6

155.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.59 NIO 58.4

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$6.64 NIO 243

157.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.36 NIO 49.90

69.85%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$23.2K NIO 849.2K

47.19%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$26.2K NIO 957.7K

58.22%

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

$169 €147

$121 NIO 4,431

39.32%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$17.26 NIO 632

11.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$36.18 NIO 1,325

-7.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.69 NIO 318

10.13%

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

$696 €606

$232 NIO 8,508

199.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,981 NIO 219.1K

190.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$70.9 NIO 2,597

48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$74.3 NIO 2,721

-35.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$134 NIO 4,895

-24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$110 NIO 4,020

13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$398 NIO 14.6K

317.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$285 NIO 10.4K

619.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

10.25

-63.12%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Leon: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $398 in Leon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $38.00 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $255 – making Leon 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 Leon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 197%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $1,161 in Leon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Leon, 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 $2,296 in Lisbon and $774 in Leon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Lisbon and $232 in Leon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Leon – 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 Leon. 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.