Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Machala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Machala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $639 in Machala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,015 in Machala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,391 in Machala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 255% more expensive than in Machala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Machala is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$2.77 $2.77

533.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$24.62 $24.62

161.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.23 $5.23

122.75%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.60 $2.60

25.38%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.83 $0.83

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.67 $0.67

149.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.03 $2.03

70.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.71 $3.71

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.10 $1.10

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.10 $1.10

77.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.90 $0.90

73.33%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.46 $1.46

174.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$3.30 $3.30

302.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.17 $4.17

101.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$4.62 $4.62

294.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.46 $1.46

58.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.59 $0.59

193.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.74 $0.74

160.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.53 $0.53

398.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.42 $0.42

352.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.52 $0.52

305.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.36 $0.36

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.99 $0.99

-19.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$4.28 $4.28

63.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.53 $7.53

-21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.57 $1.57

-13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.12 $2.12

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.36 $0.36

561.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$20.56 $20.56

124.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.23 $1.23

240.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.78 $1.78

-38.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.17 $8.17

111.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.59 $0.59

281.36%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$17.8K $17.8K

93.93%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$22.0K $22.0K

88.76%

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

$171 €147

$36.01 $36.01

374.53%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$14.70 $14.70

29.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$25.08 $25.08

36.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$43.06 $43.06

15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$16.40 $16.40

18.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$5.12 $5.12

97.27%

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

$699 €603

$137 $137

410.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$6,139 $6,139

189.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$65.2 $65.2

60.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$40.11 $40.11

19.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$78.6 $78.6

29.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$67.6 $67.6

89.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$193 $193

762.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$135 $135

807.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$354 $354

723.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$261 $261

674.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$1,197 $1,197

579.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$772 $772

500.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$443 $443

265.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-24.40%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Machala: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $193 in Machala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 266% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $25.00 in Machala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $135 per month, with Machala 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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Machala differ by about 255% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $639 including rent). Machala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 266% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $193 in Machala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $137 in Machala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $639 in Machala versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Machala 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 Machala 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 Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 255% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.