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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $704 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,148 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $1,593 in Leon, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 216% more than Leon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Leon is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$4.90 NIO 180

230.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$35.47 NIO 1,304

82.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$7.16 NIO 263

44.97%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.36 NIO 86.6

17.37%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.80 NIO 29.42

181.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.73 NIO 26.93

115.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.35 NIO 49.52

158.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.95 NIO 71.8

105.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.27 NIO 46.53

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.46 NIO 90.5

-29.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.81 NIO 66.4

-3.87%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.25 NIO 82.6

41.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.31 NIO 416

18.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.79 NIO 250

17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$7.97 NIO 293

101.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.89 NIO 143

-41.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.84 NIO 30.90

104.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.82 NIO 66.8

6.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.29 NIO 84.2

10.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.98 NIO 146

-54.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.22 NIO 81.6

-8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.06 NIO 38.78

86.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.00 NIO 36.75

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.61 NIO 95.8

162.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$14.51 NIO 533

-60.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.40 NIO 51.6

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.17 NIO 79.9

33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.47 NIO 54.0

177.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.62 NIO 243

175.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.35 NIO 49.45

48.89%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$22.6K NIO 832.4K

55.75%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.3K NIO 966.7K

46.36%

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

$145 €124

$98.9 NIO 3,636

46.99%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$17.34 NIO 637

20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$37.98 NIO 1,396

5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$8.07 NIO 297

12.27%

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

$607 €519

$123 NIO 4,505

394.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,924 NIO 217.8K

175.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$76.5 NIO 2,813

36.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$71.1 NIO 2,615

-42.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$131 NIO 4,822

-28.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$109 NIO 4,020

8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$407 NIO 15.0K

293.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.25

-62.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Leon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $407 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $35.00 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $261 – 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 216%, 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,056 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 $2,227 in Lisbon and $704 in Leon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Lisbon and $123 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 $704, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.