Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lucena

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucena: $646 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Lucena
🇵🇭 Philippines
$646
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Lucena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Lucena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $646 in Lucena.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Lucena $646

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $1,041 in Lucena.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Lucena $1,041

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $1,436 in Lucena.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Lucena $1,436

Living in Lisbon is roughly 244% more expensive than in Lucena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Lucena is 52% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$1.50 ₱94.4
1000.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$18.91 ₱1,191
223.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$1.72 ₱108
555.23%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$1.32 ₱83.2
131.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.33 ₱20.88
584.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.29 ₱18.26
496.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$1.38 ₱86.7
145.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$1.28 ₱80.9
165.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.66 ₱105
-32.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.17 ₱73.4
58.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$0.92 ₱57.6
66.30%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$1.75 ₱110
126.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$6.82 ₱429
87.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$4.21 ₱265
87.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$7.13 ₱449
138.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$4.04 ₱254
-43.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.37 ₱86.0
27.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.58 ₱225
-48.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$1.17 ₱73.5
119.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.27 ₱143
-18.06%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$3.30 ₱208
-38.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.42 ₱89.6
1.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.91 ₱57.0
-9.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$2.74 ₱173
139.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$7.74 ₱487
-27.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.34 ₱84.6
-4.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.76 ₱111
17.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.24 ₱14.97
879.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$12.08 ₱761
265.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$0.81 ₱51.0
392.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$0.21 ₱13.19
419.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$2.54 ₱160
555.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.23 ₱77.6
85.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$21.3K ₱1.3M
58.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$18.8K ₱1.2M
109.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$47.89 ₱3,015
249.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$6.37 ₱401
195.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$11.06 ₱696
199.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$34.15 ₱2,150
34.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$4.02 ₱253
377.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$7.38 ₱465
33.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$71.9 ₱4,529
841.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$2,515 ₱158.3K
572.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$35.78 ₱2,253
182.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$22.69 ₱1,428
101.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$79.7 ₱5,020
25.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$74.4 ₱4,683
65.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$262 ₱16.5K
517.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$170 ₱10.7K
605.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$516 ₱32.5K
454.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$357 ₱22.5K
457.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$2,274 ₱143.2K
233.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$921 ₱58.0K
367.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Lucena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$320 ₱20.2K
395.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
7
-45.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lucena: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Lucena
$170 85.8% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Lucena
$206 23.5% $63
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Lucena
$45 81.4% $197
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Lucena
$65 70.2% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Lucena
$96 42.5% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Lucena
$49 25.5% $17
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Lucena
$15 76.4% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $262 in Lucena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 396% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $19.00 in Lucena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $206 per month, with Lucena cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇭 Lucena
🕒 Local time
03:38 3:38 AM
10:38 10:38 AM
7 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
278,924
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Lucena 12,240 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Lucena

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lucena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Lucena?
Lisbon and Lucena differ by about 244% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $646 including rent). Lucena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Lucena?
Average pay runs 396% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Lucena?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $262 in Lucena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Lucena?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $71.9 in Lucena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $646 in Lucena versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lucena but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Lucena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Lucena?
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.
Is Lisbon or Lucena safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Lucena are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Lucena?
Expats usually find Lucena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 244% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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