Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mdina Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mdina

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,028 in Mdina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,039 in Mdina.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than in Mdina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$21.17 €18.54

-23.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$94.2 €82.5

-32.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.46 €10.04

-9.95%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.04 €2.66

-6.91%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$3.11 €2.72

-26.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.26 €1.98

-30.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$4.69 €4.10

-27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.59 €4.02

-12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.40 €1.23

-22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.24 €1.08

41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$4.40 €3.86

-60.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.72 €4.14

-32.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$10.42 €9.13

26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$9.61 €8.42

-17.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$14.14 €12.38

9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.45 €3.90

-46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$3.16 €2.76

-45.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.32 €2.91

-39.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.68 €3.22

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.58 €2.26

-31.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.35 €1.18

50.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.41 €2.12

-20.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.24 €1.08

-31.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.35 €5.56

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.18 €7.17

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.93 €1.69

-31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.24 €1.96

32.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.70 €2.37

-15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.66 €4.96

-25.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$4.13 €3.62

-80.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$49.29 €43.17

-62.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.51 €1.32

37.75%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$38.5K €33.7K

-9.92%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$37.8K €33.1K

3.46%

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

$148 €130

$91.9 €80.4

61.19%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$28.86 €25.28

-29.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$46.04 €40.32

-14.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$64.8 €56.7

-25.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$23.33 €20.43

-20.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$10.60 €9.29

-13.02%

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

$616 €540

$434 €380

42.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$10.9K €9,538

50.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$92.7 €81.2

10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$38.66 €33.86

7.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$104 €91.0

-8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$101 €88.4

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,124 €984

45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$930 €814

32.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,005 €1,756

54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,509 €1,322

34.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$4,447 €3,894

76.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,410 €2,111

82.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,542 €1,351

4.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

27.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mdina: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,124 in Mdina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 4% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $94.0 in Mdina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $323 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 Mdina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 4% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,124 in Mdina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $2,017 in Mdina – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,017 in Mdina versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mdina but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mdina 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 Mdina 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 Mdina 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.