Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malda Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Malda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $406 in Malda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $577 in Malda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $749 in Malda.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 466% more expensive than in Malda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Malda is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$1.01 ₹96.9

1641.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$15.80 ₹1,516

297.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$4.24 ₹406

173.11%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.59 ₹152

94.97%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.44 ₹41.76

465.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.14 ₹13.54

1142.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.89 ₹182

84.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.15 ₹302

9.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.65 ₹62.3

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.43 ₹41.24

344.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.50 ₹47.99

200.00%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$0.78 ₹74.6

410.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$5.49 ₹527

142.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$2.27 ₹218

252.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.45 ₹235

-4.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.82 ₹79.1

113.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.47 ₹141

25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.54 ₹51.7

372.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.20 ₹19.16

820.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.38 ₹36.37

452.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.30 ₹28.46

396.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.14 ₹13.49

485.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.09 ₹488

39.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$10.22 ₹981

-42.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.69 ₹162

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.66 ₹255

-19.92%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$2.14 ₹205

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.64 ₹61.6

537.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.32 ₹30.79

256.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$1.55 ₹149

1002.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.12 ₹107

106.25%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$14.2K ₹1.4M

139.59%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$21.1K ₹2.0M

96.24%

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

$169 €147

$56.1 ₹5,384

200.34%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$3.18 ₹305

507.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$4.19 ₹402

699.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$3.70 ₹355

158.65%

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

$696 €607

$38.83 ₹3,725

1692.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,979 ₹189.8K

777.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$5.31 ₹510

1882.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$22.17 ₹2,127

115.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$32.81 ₹3,148

206.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$27.02 ₹2,592

360.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$162 ₹15.5K

925.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$124 ₹11.9K

902.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$280 ₹26.9K

957.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$155 ₹14.9K

1222.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

9.27

-59.22%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Malda: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $162 in Malda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $16.00 in Malda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $108 per month, with Malda 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 Malda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Malda differ by about 466% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $406 including rent). Malda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $608 in Malda 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $162 in Malda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 157% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $406 in Malda – a 466% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $406 in Malda versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Malda but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Malda 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 Malda 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 Malda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 466% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.