Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mellieha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mellieha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,932 in Mellieha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,808 in Mellieha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,685 in Mellieha.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Mellieha 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$20.33 €17.51

-21.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$69.7 €60.0

-7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.59 €9.98

-9.32%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.64 €2.28

8.71%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.67 €2.30

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.06 €1.78

-27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$4.27 €3.67

-18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.50 €3.02

10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.33 €1.14

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.36 €1.17

28.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.54 €3.05

-50.28%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.80 €3.27

-15.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$10.02 €8.63

34.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$10.27 €8.85

-22.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$13.71 €11.81

15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.46 €2.98

-33.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.06 €1.77

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.89 €2.49

-30.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.18 €2.74

-22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.81 €1.56

1.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.93 €2.52

-31.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.70 €1.46

13.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.14 €0.98

-30.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.34 €5.46

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.18 €5.32

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.34 €2.02

-41.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.76 €1.51

68.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.94 €2.53

-19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$7.96 €6.86

-46.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.90 €1.64

-56.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$34.17 €29.42

-46.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.52 €1.30

35.53%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.4K €22.7K

29.91%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$41.1K €35.4K

-4.29%

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

$148 €127

$110 €94.8

34.34%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$30.27 €26.07

-32.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$32.80 €28.25

20.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$63.1 €54.3

-24.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.95 €19.76

-17.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$8.70 €7.49

5.52%

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

$614 €529

$260 €224

136.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$9,117 €7,851

76.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$75.3 €64.8

39.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$38.60 €33.24

8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$95.2 €82.0

-1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$102 €88.2

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,038 €894

56.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$940 €809

33.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,749 €1,506

73.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,408 €1,213

43.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$4,070 €3,504

91.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,935 €2,527

45.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,407 €1,211

13.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.43

-29.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mellieha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,038 in Mellieha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 14% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $70.0 in Mellieha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $295 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 Mellieha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mellieha differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,932 including rent). Mellieha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 14% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,038 in Mellieha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 10% 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 $1,932 in Mellieha – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,932 in Mellieha versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mellieha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mellieha 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 Mellieha 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 Mellieha 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.