Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monrovia, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monrovia, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,728 in Monrovia, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $4,129 in Monrovia, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $5,531 in Monrovia, CA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 15% less than in Monrovia, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Monrovia, CA 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$24.96 $24.96

-30.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$102 $102

-37.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$11.45 $11.45

-0.52%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$5.74 $5.74

-44.43%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.69 $2.69

-8.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.04 $2.04

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$8.05 $8.05

-55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$9.07 $9.07

-62.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.16 $1.16

6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$5.74 $5.74

-65.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$4.31 $4.31

-64.73%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$4.96 $4.96

-18.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$12.29 $12.29

10.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$21.05 $21.05

-60.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$13.78 $13.78

32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$5.39 $5.39

-57.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.80 $1.80

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.18 $4.18

-55.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$6.63 $6.63

-60.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.53 $3.53

-45.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$3.58 $3.58

-41.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.29 $2.29

-37.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$2.31 $2.31

-63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$11.65 $11.65

-41.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$15.25 $15.25

-62.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.68 $1.68

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$3.22 $3.22

-31.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.93 $1.93

24.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$4.54 $4.54

-8.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.83 $1.83

-37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$35.46 $35.46

-50.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.46 $1.46

58.90%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$36.7K $36.7K

-3.63%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

61.44%

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

$170 €147

$213 $213

-19.89%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$72.2 $72.2

-73.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$68.9 $68.9

-51.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$39.76 $39.76

20.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$11.90 $11.90

-16.64%

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

$717 €617

$1,954 $1,954

-63.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$42.3K $42.3K

-58.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$73.3 $73.3

42.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$41.37 $41.37

13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$80.9 $80.9

27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$171 $171

-27.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$1,585 $1,585

5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$1,253 $1,253

1.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$2,500 $2,500

19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$2,397 $2,397

-16.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$2,876 $2,876

172.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$2,223 $2,223

109.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.08

-37.66%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Monrovia, CA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,585 in Monrovia, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $102 in Monrovia, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $477 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 Monrovia, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Monrovia, CA differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $2,728 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,474 in Lisbon and $4,092 in Monrovia, CA 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,585 in Monrovia, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Monrovia, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $2,728 in Monrovia, CA – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Monrovia, CA 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Monrovia, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.