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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,051 in Mdina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $3,130 in Mdina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $4,209 in Mdina.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 13% more expensive than in Mdina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Mdina 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$20.15 €17.33

-14.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$91.1 €78.3

-30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$14.13 €12.15

-19.39%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.79 €2.40

14.34%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$3.23 €2.78

-24.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.35 €2.02

-25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$4.62 €3.97

-22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$5.25 €4.52

-35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.40 €1.20

-11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.37 €1.18

44.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$4.52 €3.89

-66.37%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$4.50 €3.87

-10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$8.72 €7.50

55.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$10.89 €9.36

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$18.99 €16.33

-3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$4.42 €3.80

-48.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.92 €2.51

-40.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.70 €3.18

-49.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.54 €3.04

-25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.65 €2.28

-27.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.03 €1.74

2.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.48 €2.13

-41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.33 €1.15

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$6.95 €5.97

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$8.49 €7.30

-32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.83 €1.57

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.45 €2.11

-9.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.38 €2.05

0.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$5.84 €5.02

-28.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.30 €1.98

-50.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$27.63 €23.76

-36.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.52 €1.30

52.63%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$38.9K €33.4K

-9.15%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$39.9K €34.3K

3.83%

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

$170 €146

$108 €92.5

58.36%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$26.82 €23.06

-27.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$44.41 €38.18

-24.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$64.8 €55.7

-25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$10.54 €9.06

-5.88%

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

$717 €617

$378 €325

90.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$11.7K €10.0K

49.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$92.1 €79.2

13.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$42.89 €36.87

9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$104 €89.3

-0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$81.2 €69.8

52.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$1,081 €929

55.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$1,013 €871

25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,576 €1,355

89.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$1,462 €1,257

36.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$3,468 €2,981

125.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$2,639 €2,269

76.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$1,548 €1,331

2.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

2.9

30.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mdina: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,081 in Mdina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 2% 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 $91.0 in Mdina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $342 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 13% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $2,051 including rent). Mdina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,081 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 $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $2,051 in Mdina – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,051 in Mdina versus $2,316 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 13% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.