Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Makarska

For one person, living is cheaper in Makarska: $1,615 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Makarska, Croatia
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Makarska
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,615
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Makarska

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 Makarska actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,615 in Makarska.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Makarska $1,615

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,504 in Makarska.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Makarska $2,504

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,393 in Makarska.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Makarska $3,393

Living in Lisbon is roughly 37% more expensive than in Makarska, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Makarska 19% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$17.29 €15.53
-3.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$79.3 €71.2
-22.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$8.01 €7.20
41.82%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$3.16 €2.84
-6.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$3.92 €3.52
-41.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.96 €2.66
-41.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$5.54 €4.98
-38.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$4.83 €4.34
-31.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.17 €1.05
-0.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.66 €1.49
15.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.16 €2.84
-52.22%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$5.04 €4.53
-20.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$15.36 €13.80
-15.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$9.60 €8.62
-19.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$11.87 €10.66
49.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.88 €1.69
22.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.54 €1.38
12.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$2.06 €1.85
-9.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$2.75 €2.47
-5.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$2.28 €2.04
-20.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.09 €1.88
-5.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.59 €1.43
-7.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.62 €1.45
-55.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$5.66 €5.08
16.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$7.72 €6.94
-27.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.41 €1.27
-3.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.42 €1.27
50.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$1.73 €1.55
34.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$48.80 €43.84
-8.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$2.96 €2.66
30.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.47 €1.32
-27.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$13.55 €12.17
21.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.72 €1.54
27.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$26.0K €23.4K
31.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$25.4K €22.8K
52.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$182 €163
-11.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$27.27 €24.50
-32.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$42.95 €38.58
-23.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$58.7 €52.7
-24.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$14.97 €13.45
27.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$10.65 €9.57
-9.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$426 €383
56.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$6,821 €6,127
158.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$90.1 €81.0
13.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$44.62 €40.08
-0.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$104 €93.5
-5.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$77.9 €69.9
58.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$673 €604
139.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$516 €463
130.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,165 €1,046
141.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$875 €786
130.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$4,347 €3,905
80.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$2,887 €2,594
58.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Makarska
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.72
3.49%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Makarska: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Makarska
$516 56.7% $674
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Makarska
$294 7.8% $21
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Makarska
$265 9.3% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Makarska
$252 18.8% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Makarska
$142 14.1% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Makarska
$80 25.5% $16
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Makarska
$66 4.5% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $673 in Makarska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $79 in Makarska for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $294 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇭🇷 Makarska
🕒 Local time
22:05 10:05 PM
23:05 11:05 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
12,809
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Makarska 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Makarska

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 Makarska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Makarska?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,615 in Makarska, so Makarska is about 27% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Makarska?
You’d need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $2,423 in Makarska to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Makarska?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $673 in Makarska. 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 Makarska?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $426 in Makarska. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $2,500 go in Lisbon compared to Makarska?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Makarska gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Makarska?
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 Makarska safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Makarska are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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