Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marsa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,976 in Marsa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $4,186 in Marsa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $5,395 in Marsa.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 26% less than in Marsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Marsa 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$20.86 €17.96

-23.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$96.2 €82.9

-32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.74 €10.11

-10.48%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.03 €2.61

-5.28%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.25 €1.94

-0.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.28 €1.96

-34.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$4.66 €4.02

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.70 €2.33

43.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.36 €1.17

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.29 €1.11

35.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$4.21 €3.63

-58.19%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.51 €3.89

-28.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$10.21 €8.79

32.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.08 €7.82

-12.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$13.68 €11.78

16.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.40 €3.79

-47.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$3.02 €2.60

-43.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.38 €2.91

-40.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.79 €3.26

-35.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.56 €2.20

-28.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.30 €1.12

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.44 €2.10

-20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.24 €1.07

-36.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.44 €5.54

2.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.64 €7.44

-33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.87 €1.61

-26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.21 €1.91

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.82 €2.43

-15.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.66 €4.87

-24.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.60 €3.10

-77.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$49.94 €43.01

-63.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.51 €1.30

36.42%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$39.4K €34.0K

-13.07%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$38.4K €33.1K

2.21%

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

$148 €127

$94.1 €81.1

57.11%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$27.87 €24.00

-26.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$45.80 €39.44

-13.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$64.7 €55.7

-26.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$23.54 €20.27

-19.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$10.34 €8.90

-11.22%

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

$614 €529

$431 €371

42.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$11.3K €9,691

42.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$92.4 €79.6

13.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$38.74 €33.36

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$103 €88.6

-8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$101 €86.6

19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,676 €1,443

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,929 €1,661

-34.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$2,274 €1,959

33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$2,893 €2,492

-30.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$3,306 €2,847

-51.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.27

-10.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Marsa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,676 in Marsa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marsa pays 106% 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 $96.0 in Marsa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $317 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 Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Marsa differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,976 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Marsa earns 106% 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 $1,676 in Marsa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Marsa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,976 in Marsa – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,976 in Marsa, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Marsa. 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 Marsa 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 35% less than in Marsa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.