Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Les Escaldes Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Les Escaldes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,459 in Les Escaldes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,270 in Les Escaldes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,082 in Les Escaldes.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 53% more expensive than Les Escaldes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Les Escaldes 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$14.91 €12.76

8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$32.64 €27.94

97.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$6.79 €5.81

52.87%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.71 €1.46

31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.19 €1.02

31.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.63 €1.40

6.75%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.77 €1.51

79.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$8.02 €6.87

67.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.17 €1.00

-27.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.21 €6.17

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$51.3 €43.90

-8.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.29 €1.96

78.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

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

$35.3K €30.2K

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

$38.5K €32.9K

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

$145 €124

$40.68 €34.82

257.42%

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

$20.96 €17.94

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$52.7 €45.13

-24.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$93.5 €80.1

-47.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$11.69 €10.01

59.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$9.05 €7.75

0.11%

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

$607 €519

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$105 €89.7

-0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$57.2 €48.95

-28.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$80.7 €69.1

15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$92.0 €78.7

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$934 €799

71.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$805 €689

53.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,181 €1,867

39.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,757 €1,504

17.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$11.8K €10.1K

-63.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$2,910 €2,491

-45.56%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Les Escaldes: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $934 in Les Escaldes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $33.00 in Les Escaldes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $66.0 per month, with Les Escaldes cheaper across the board.

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 Les Escaldes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Les Escaldes differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,459 including rent). Les Escaldes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Les Escaldes earns 84% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $934 in Les Escaldes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 309% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,459 in Les Escaldes – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,459 in Les Escaldes versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Les Escaldes but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Les Escaldes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Les Escaldes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Les Escaldes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.