Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marsascala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marsascala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,771 in Marsascala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,713 in Marsascala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,655 in Marsascala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 30% more expensive than in Marsascala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Marsascala 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$20.05 €17.47

-12.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$89.2 €77.7

-29.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$14.01 €12.22

-17.34%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.26 €1.97

37.17%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.45 €2.13

1.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.37 €1.20

27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$4.13 €3.60

-15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.37 €2.94

2.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.28 €1.11

-10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.89 €0.77

114.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.37 €2.94

-55.49%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$4.26 €3.72

-6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$5.70 €4.97

133.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.23 €5.43

28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$14.18 €12.36

27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.56 €3.11

-33.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.59 €2.25

-32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.30 €2.00

-19.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.95 €2.57

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.53 €2.21

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.04 €1.78

2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.38 €2.07

-37.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.95 €0.83

-13.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$6.23 €5.43

13.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$7.09 €6.18

-16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.68 €1.47

-22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.42 €2.11

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.29 €2.00

3.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.05 €4.40

-19.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.26 €1.97

-49.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.10 €12.29

21.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.53 €1.33

50.98%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$31.8K €27.7K

7.39%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$28.9K €25.2K

43.10%

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

$169 €147

$102 €89.3

64.47%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$21.03 €18.33

-8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$29.21 €25.46

14.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$58.6 €51.1

-16.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$23.51 €20.49

-17.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$10.54 €9.19

-9.20%

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

$696 €607

$233 €203

198.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$4,619 €4,027

275.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$90.9 €79.3

15.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$30.50 €26.58

56.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$88.5 €77.1

13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$84.3 €73.5

47.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$1,040 €907

59.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$859 €748

45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,485 €1,295

99.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,279 €1,115

60.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,940 €2,563

166.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,448 €2,134

82.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$2,182 €1,902

-25.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.9

30.34%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Marsascala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,040 in Marsascala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marsascala pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $89.0 in Marsascala. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $260, with Marsascala cheaper for home cooking.

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 Marsascala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Marsascala differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,771 including rent). Marsascala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Marsascala. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,040 in Marsascala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $1,771 in Marsascala – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,771 in Marsascala versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Marsascala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Marsascala 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 Marsascala 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 Marsascala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.