Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Milton Keynes

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,206 a month against $2,511 in Milton Keynes, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Milton Keynes
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,511
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Milton Keynes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Milton Keynes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $2,511 in Milton Keynes.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Milton Keynes $2,511

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $3,563 in Milton Keynes.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Milton Keynes $3,563

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $4,614 in Milton Keynes.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Milton Keynes $4,614

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 12% less than in Milton Keynes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 63% above, Milton Keynes 86% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.08
$19.77 £14.74
-14.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.6
$86.1 £64.2
-29.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.82
$11.59 £8.65
-5.26%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.73
$4.64 £3.46
-34.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.89 £1.41
20.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.12 £0.84
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$6.59 £4.92
-47.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.49
$6.06 £4.52
-35.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.71 £1.28
-32.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.48 £1.11
27.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$2.87 £2.14
-47.74%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.68
$3.97 £2.96
3.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.63
$8.52 £6.36
52.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.19
$9.00 £6.71
-10.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €16.00
$13.12 £9.79
36.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$3.38 £2.52
-32.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.46 £1.09
19.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.60 £1.94
-30.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.40
$2.79 £2.08
-3.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.97 £1.47
-10.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.64 £1.23
18.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$1.27 £0.95
14.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$1.38 £1.03
-44.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.95
$23.90 £17.82
-72.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.04
$9.29 £6.93
-39.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.69 £2.01
-52.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.39 £1.78
-10.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.06
$4.13 £3.08
-44.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.36
$84.5 £63.0
-47.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.56
$4.95 £3.69
-19.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$1.63 £1.22
-60.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.92
$30.61 £22.82
-38.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.12 £1.58
7.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.8K
$38.3K £28.6K
-12.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.4K
$40.5K £30.2K
-4.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$309 £230
-48.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.68
$14.49 £10.80
21.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.89
$41.15 £30.68
-24.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.92
$34.73 £25.90
28.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.97
$20.40 £15.21
-6.96%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.56
$23.63 £17.62
-59.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €602
$2,387 £1,780
-71.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$24.4K £18.2K
-23.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$114 £84.8
-10.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €41.04
$40.26 £30.02
14.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.4
$80.5 £60.0
26.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$97.6 £72.8
25.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,467
$1,565 £1,167
4.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,062
$1,208 £901
-1.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,526
$2,397 £1,788
17.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,805
$1,770 £1,320
14.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €7,007
$7,283 £5,431
7.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,204
$5,679 £4,234
-17.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Milton Keynes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,508
$3,939 £2,937
-57.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
4.67
-18.20%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Milton Keynes: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Milton Keynes
$1.2K 1.8% $21
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Milton Keynes
$287 4.5% $12
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Milton Keynes
$306 24.7% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Milton Keynes
$365 76.3% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Milton Keynes
$149 10.8% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Milton Keynes
$82 28.5% $18
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Milton Keynes
$114 89% $54

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $1,565 in Milton Keynes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton Keynes pays about 2.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $86 in Milton Keynes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $287 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇬🇧 Milton Keynes
🕒 Local time
00:15 12:15 AM
00:15 12:15 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
229,941
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Milton Keynes 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Milton Keynes

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lisbon vs Milton Keynes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Milton Keynes?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $2,511 in Milton Keynes, so Lisbon is about 12% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Milton Keynes?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $1,565 in Milton Keynes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Milton Keynes?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $2,387 in Milton Keynes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Milton Keynes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Milton Keynes?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Milton Keynes?
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.
Is Lisbon or Milton Keynes safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Milton Keynes are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Milton Keynes?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Milton Keynes on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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