Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monastir Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monastir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $663 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,070 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $1,476 in Monastir.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 238% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Monastir is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$3.92 TND 11.28

301.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$23.48 TND 67.6

168.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$5.13 TND 14.78

101.17%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$0.91 TND 2.62

208.79%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$0.69 TND 2.00

237.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.31 TND 0.90

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$1.73 TND 4.97

94.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$1.83 TND 5.28

113.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.49 TND 1.42

120.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$0.15 TND 0.44

1066.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.78 TND 5.11

-1.69%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$1.48 TND 4.27

109.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$11.90 TND 34.29

11.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$5.84 TND 16.81

34.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$13.88 TND 39.98

15.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.53 TND 4.40

56.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$3.05 TND 8.79

-43.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.00 TND 2.87

97.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$0.71 TND 2.03

259.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.76 TND 2.19

135.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.58 TND 1.67

239.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$0.47 TND 1.35

317.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.29 TND 0.82

189.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$3.31 TND 9.52

106.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$5.26 TND 15.14

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.19 TND 3.44

15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$1.33 TND 3.83

119.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$0.39 TND 1.12

487.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$11.34 TND 32.66

313.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$0.32 TND 0.93

1187.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.31 TND 0.89

161.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$3.34 TND 9.63

467.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.81 TND 2.35

158.02%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$41.3K TND 118.8K

-14.87%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$35.9K TND 103.3K

10.72%

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

$150 €128

$58.0 TND 167

158.04%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$10.35 TND 29.81

97.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$18.65 TND 53.7

109.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$20.73 TND 59.7

139.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$6.69 TND 19.26

176.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$5.30 TND 15.25

73.58%

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

$624 €533

$105 TND 303

493.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$3,223 TND 9,283

393.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$45.22 TND 130

125.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$60.9 TND 176

-32.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$113 TND 325

-15.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$83.2 TND 239

45.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$204 TND 587

711.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$137 TND 395

797.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$477 TND 1,374

538.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$274 TND 788

652.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$1,284 TND 3,699

513.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$648 TND 1,865

564.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$364 TND 1,050

329.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-65.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Monastir: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $204 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 330% 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 in Lisbon vs $23 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $187 per month, with Monastir 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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Monastir differ by about 238% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $663 including rent). Monastir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 330% 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $204 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Lisbon versus $105 in Monastir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $663 in Monastir versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir 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 Monastir 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 Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.