Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marsaxlokk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marsaxlokk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,010 in Marsaxlokk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,096 in Marsaxlokk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,181 in Marsaxlokk.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 10% more expensive than Marsaxlokk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Marsaxlokk 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$20.93 €18.02

-23.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$95.3 €82.1

-32.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.50 €9.91

-8.61%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.93 €2.53

-2.05%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.12 €2.69

-28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.15 €1.86

-30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$4.52 €3.89

-22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.69 €4.04

-17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.34 €1.15

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.28 €1.10

36.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$4.23 €3.65

-58.39%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.54 €3.91

-29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$10.38 €8.94

29.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.41 €8.10

-15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$14.14 €12.17

12.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.47 €3.85

-48.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$3.15 €2.71

-46.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.22 €2.77

-37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.74 €3.22

-34.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.47 €2.12

-25.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.35 €1.16

48.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.41 €2.07

-19.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.24 €1.07

-36.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.52 €5.62

1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.30 €7.15

-31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.95 €1.68

-29.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.27 €1.95

30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.71 €2.34

-12.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.93 €5.11

-27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$4.13 €3.56

-80.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$48.33 €41.62

-62.14%

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

$39.1K €33.7K

-12.32%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$38.1K €32.8K

3.14%

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

$148 €127

$94.6 €81.4

56.36%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$27.95 €24.07

-26.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$45.13 €38.86

-12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$64.9 €55.9

-26.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.81 €19.64

-17.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$10.39 €8.95

-11.65%

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

$614 €529

$433 €373

41.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$11.1K €9,545

44.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$91.0 €78.4

15.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$39.28 €33.82

7.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$101 €87.1

-7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$101 €86.6

18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,141 €983

42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$947 €815

32.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,976 €1,701

53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,491 €1,284

35.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$4,317 €3,718

80.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$3,288 €2,832

29.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.08

-25.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Marsaxlokk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,141 in Marsaxlokk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $95.0 in Marsaxlokk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $320 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 Marsaxlokk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Marsaxlokk differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,010 including rent). Marsaxlokk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $3,015 in Marsaxlokk 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,141 in Marsaxlokk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,010 in Marsaxlokk – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,010 in Marsaxlokk versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marsaxlokk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Marsaxlokk 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 Marsaxlokk 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 Marsaxlokk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.