Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marseille Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Marseille

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,017 in Marseille.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,222 in Marseille.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,427 in Marseille.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than in Marseille, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Marseille 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$17.41 €15.23

-7.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$72.2 €63.2

-12.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$11.38 €9.96

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.27 €2.86

-13.46%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$3.31 €2.89

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.02 €1.77

-21.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$6.96 €6.09

-51.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$5.91 €5.17

-31.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.39 €1.21

-21.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.64 €2.31

-33.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.32 €2.91

-46.99%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$5.32 €4.65

-40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$27.94 €24.44

-52.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$15.18 €13.28

-47.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$27.48 €24.04

-43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.97 €3.47

-40.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.58 €2.26

-33.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$4.53 €3.96

-55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$4.36 €3.81

-44.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.02 €2.64

-41.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.57 €2.25

-21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.17 €1.90

-11.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.59 €1.39

-46.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$14.04 €12.28

-53.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$10.37 €9.08

-46.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$4.15 €3.63

-67.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$4.16 €3.64

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.04 €1.78

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$46.26 €40.47

-1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.91 €5.17

-28.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$3.04 €2.66

-73.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$29.21 €25.55

-36.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.18 €1.91

-4.59%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$36.9K €32.3K

-5.96%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$34.9K €30.5K

12.22%

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

$148 €130

$190 €166

-21.91%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$28.46 €24.90

-28.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$35.47 €31.03

11.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$44.54 €38.97

7.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$21.26 €18.60

-12.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$15.30 €13.38

-39.74%

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

$616 €539

$832 €728

-25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$10.0K €8,779

63.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$129 €113

-20.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$47.98 €41.98

-13.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$121 €106

-21.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$151 €133

-19.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$799 €699

104.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$657 €575

87.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,459 €1,276

112.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$1,397 €1,223

45.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$5,237 €4,582

49.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$3,720 €3,255

17.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$2,459 €2,151

-34.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.85

-1.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Marseille: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $799 in Marseille. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marseille pays 53% 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 $72.0 in Marseille for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $484 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 Marseille: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Marseille differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,017 including rent). Marseille is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Marseille. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $799 in Marseille. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $832 in Marseille. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 81% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,017 in Marseille versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marseille but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Marseille 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 Marseille 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 Marseille gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.