Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Midlands Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Midlands

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $613 in Midlands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,035 in Midlands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,457 in Midlands.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 274% more expensive than in Midlands, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Midlands is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$5.96 MUR 283

195.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$37.62 MUR 1,787

67.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$7.22 MUR 343

60.39%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.63 MUR 125

17.87%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.15 MUR 54.5

116.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.61 MUR 28.97

185.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.68 MUR 127

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.85 MUR 231

-29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.61 MUR 76.4

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.74 MUR 35.26

158.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.15 MUR 54.5

30.43%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.58 MUR 122

54.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$5.20 MUR 247

155.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.46 MUR 307

23.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$11.28 MUR 536

59.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.86 MUR 136

-17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.70 MUR 128

-35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.45 MUR 69.0

27.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.95 MUR 140

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.95 MUR 45.33

93.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.01 MUR 47.89

107.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.69 MUR 32.97

115.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.87 MUR 41.18

-5.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$6.51 MUR 309

9.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.26 MUR 392

-28.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.64 MUR 78.1

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.31 MUR 110

-7.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$4.28 MUR 203

-4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.10 MUR 147

-63.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$20.80 MUR 988

-17.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.35 MUR 64.1

71.11%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$36.8K MUR 1.8M

-7.38%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$30.9K MUR 1.5M

33.70%

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

$169 €147

$45.44 MUR 2,159

270.93%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$10.65 MUR 506

81.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$28.64 MUR 1,360

17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$6.41 MUR 305

49.30%

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

$696 €606

$127 MUR 6,018

449.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,573 MUR 359.7K

129.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$78.8 MUR 3,744

33.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$75.6 MUR 3,590

-36.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$120 MUR 5,700

-16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$76.7 MUR 3,645

62.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.67

-43.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Midlands: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Midlands for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $219 per month, with Midlands 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 Midlands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Midlands differ by about 274% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $613 including rent). Midlands is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $920 in Midlands 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $613 in Midlands – a 274% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $613 in Midlands versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Midlands but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Midlands 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 Midlands 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 Midlands gentler on the wallet – expenses run 274% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.