For one person, living is cheaper in Moka: $926 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Moka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $926 in Moka.
Lisbon $2,210
Moka $926
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,538 in Moka.
Lisbon $3,275
Moka $1,538
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,149 in Moka.
Lisbon $4,341
Moka $2,149
🌍
Living in Lisbon is roughly 139% more expensive than in Moka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Moka is 32% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65€14.92
$6.28MUR 298
165.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7€55.3
$27.16MUR 1,287
127.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.36€10.18
$6.69MUR 317
69.81%
Cappuccino
$2.97€2.66
$4.19MUR 199
-29.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.05
$1.08MUR 51.1
112.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74€1.56
$0.31MUR 14.47
461.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.40€3.05
$2.59MUR 123
31.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31€2.97
$3.14MUR 149
5.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.16€1.04
$1.73MUR 81.9
-32.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.91€1.71
$0.77MUR 36.36
148.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.51€1.36
$1.67MUR 79.1
-9.58%
Eggs
$4.02€3.60
$3.04MUR 144
32.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.94€11.59
-
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.77€6.97
$10.51MUR 498
-26.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.76€15.92
$14.71MUR 697
20.73%
Apples(1kg)
$2.30€2.06
$2.90MUR 137
-20.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.73€1.55
$1.67MUR 79.2
3.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.86€1.66
$4.18MUR 198
-55.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.59€2.32
$4.27MUR 203
-39.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.82€1.63
$1.08MUR 51.2
68.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97€1.76
$1.04MUR 49.26
89.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.47€1.32
$0.82MUR 39.07
79.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72€0.65
$0.71MUR 33.49
1.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58€5.90
$7.11MUR 337
-7.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.61€5.02
$14.64MUR 694
-61.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.22
$2.66MUR 126
-48.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14€1.91
$3.11MUR 147
-31.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.33€2.09
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$44.68€40.04
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.85€3.45
-
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07€0.96
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.46€14.75
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.20€1.97
$1.57MUR 74.3
40.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K€30.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K€34.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$161€144
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41€16.50
$4.26MUR 202
332.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74€29.34
$21.14MUR 1,002
54.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.55€39.92
$21.46MUR 1,017
107.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10€17.11
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60€8.60
$6.40MUR 304
50.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$668€598
$108MUR 5,101
520.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.6K€15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102€91.4
$61.1MUR 2,895
67.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46€39.85
$31.40MUR 1,488
41.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.5€88.3
$115MUR 5,443
-14.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124€111
$84.5MUR 4,006
46.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,608€1,441
$524MUR 24.8K
206.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,190€1,066
$321MUR 15.2K
270.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,812€2,520
$917MUR 43.5K
206.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,013€1,804
$716MUR 34.0K
181.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,839€7,025
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,576€4,100
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Moka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,575€1,411
$1,062MUR 50.4K
48.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.85
6
-35.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026
Last update for Moka: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K 53.8%
Moka
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272 12.3%
Moka
–
🍽Eating Out
Lisbon
$243 11%
Moka
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212 9.6%
Moka
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166 7.5%
Moka
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64 2.9%
Moka
–
🚌Getting Around
Lisbon
$63 2.9%
Moka
–
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$2K 46.4%
Moka
–
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$649 15%
Moka
–
🍽Eating Out
Lisbon
$801 18.5%
Moka
–
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$231 5.3%
Moka
–
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$369 8.5%
Moka
–
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$147 3.4%
Moka
–
🚌Getting Around
Lisbon
$131 3%
Moka
–
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $524 in Moka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays 48% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $27 in Moka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $269 per month, with Moka cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Moka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Moka?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $926 in Moka, so Moka is about 58% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Moka?
Average pay runs 48% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Moka?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $524 in Moka. 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 Moka?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $108 in Moka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Moka?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $926 in Moka – Moka is about 58% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Moka?
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 Moka safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Moka are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Moka?
It comes down to priorities – Moka wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.