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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,392 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,467 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,542 in Monrovia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Monrovia 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$7.48 LRD 1,373

116.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$149 LRD 27.3K

-56.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$10.81 LRD 1,984

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.34 LRD 614

-17.07%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.05 LRD 376

9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.71 LRD 497

-42.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.77 LRD 509

25.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.96 LRD 544

35.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.17 LRD 397

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.76 LRD 323

-1.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$5.09 LRD 933

-65.82%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.67 LRD 673

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.83 LRD 2,171

13.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$11.95 LRD 2,193

-33.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$36.17 LRD 6,638

-55.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.66 LRD 305

37.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$8.24 LRD 1,512

-79.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$10.24 LRD 1,879

-81.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$10.92 LRD 2,005

-76.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.24 LRD 412

-18.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$10.58 LRD 1,941

-80.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$4.58 LRD 841

-56.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.97 LRD 362

-56.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.04 LRD 925

35.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.13 LRD 1,309

-18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.56 LRD 469

-46.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.33 LRD 612

-12.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.92 LRD 535

-21.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$19.95 LRD 3,661

134.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.70 LRD 495

51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.26 LRD 231

-34.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$17.45 LRD 3,203

4.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.21 LRD 222

66.12%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$12.4K LRD 2.3M

183.77%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$14.8K LRD 2.7M

160.41%

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

$145 €124

$273 LRD 50.1K

-46.76%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$22.91 LRD 4,205

-8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$92.4 LRD 17.0K

-56.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$76.7 LRD 14.1K

-36.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$8.15 LRD 1,496

129.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$9.89 LRD 1,814

-8.39%

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

$607 €519

$128 LRD 23.5K

373.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$910 LRD 167.0K

1694.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$18.68 LRD 3,429

460.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$33.89 LRD 6,220

20.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$55.7 LRD 10.2K

68.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$69.1 LRD 12.7K

71.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$673 LRD 123.5K

138.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$95.8 LRD 17.6K

1189.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,808 LRD 331.7K

68.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$267 LRD 49.0K

669.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$695 LRD 127.5K

128.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-23.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $673 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 128% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $149 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $535 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Monrovia differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,392 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 128% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $673 in Monrovia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $128 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 98% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,392 in Monrovia versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia 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 Monrovia 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 Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.