Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malahide Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malahide

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,506 in Malahide.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,745 in Malahide.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,985 in Malahide.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 12% less than in Malahide, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Malahide 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$21.69 €18.66

-26.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$106 €90.9

-38.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$10.36 €8.91

1.45%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.28 €3.68

-32.94%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.35 €2.02

-4.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.92 €1.65

-21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$7.03 €6.04

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$6.09 €5.24

-36.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.58 €1.36

-27.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.02 €1.74

-13.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.01 €1.73

-12.44%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.19 €3.60

-23.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.53 €9.06

28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$11.18 €9.61

-29.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.83 €10.17

34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.02 €2.59

-23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.00 €1.72

-15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.86 €2.46

-29.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.80 €3.27

-35.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.16 €1.85

-14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.51 €1.30

32.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.36 €1.17

41.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.93 €1.66

-59.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$18.48 €15.90

-64.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$15.27 €13.13

-62.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$3.37 €2.90

-59.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.79 €3.26

-21.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.36 €2.03

0.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$98.6 €84.8

-53.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.07 €4.36

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.92 €1.65

-57.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$35.17 €30.25

-47.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.97 €1.70

4.57%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$41.7K €35.8K

-17.74%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.6K €34.0K

-0.72%

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

$148 €127

$217 €187

-31.82%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$21.92 €18.85

-6.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$51.1 €43.96

-22.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$52.6 €45.21

-8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$13.66 €11.75

-32.80%

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

$614 €528

$1,058 €910

-41.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,753 €6,669

106.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$89.3 €76.8

17.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$39.05 €33.59

7.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$98.9 €85.0

-4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$106 €91.2

12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,472 €1,266

10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,269 €1,091

-1.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,348 €2,019

29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,932 €1,662

4.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$4,461 €3,837

74.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$3,082 €2,651

38.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$5,761 €4,956

-72.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.53

-15.89%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malahide: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,472 in Malahide. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malahide pays 259% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $106 in Malahide for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $334 per month, with Lisbon 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 Malahide: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Malahide differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,506 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Malahide earns 259% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,472 in Malahide. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $1,058 in Malahide. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Malahide. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,506 in Malahide, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Malahide. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Malahide 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Malahide. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.