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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,383 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,463 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $3,543 in Monrovia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 64% more expensive than Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Monrovia 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$7.30 LRD 1,324

118.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$152 LRD 27.6K

-58.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$11.07 LRD 2,007

-6.23%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.32 LRD 601

-15.96%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.97 LRD 357

18.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.63 LRD 477

-40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.69 LRD 487

27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.02 LRD 547

29.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.14 LRD 389

-49.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.83 LRD 331

-3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$5.27 LRD 955

-67.55%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$3.57 LRD 647

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$11.86 LRD 2,151

15.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$11.94 LRD 2,165

-32.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$35.73 LRD 6,480

-56.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.66 LRD 301

37.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$8.49 LRD 1,541

-80.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$10.23 LRD 1,856

-81.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$11.16 LRD 2,023

-77.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.23 LRD 405

-19.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$10.60 LRD 1,922

-81.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$4.58 LRD 830

-56.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.97 LRD 357

-57.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.90 LRD 889

38.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$6.82 LRD 1,236

-16.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.43 LRD 441

-42.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.33 LRD 604

-9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.92 LRD 530

-22.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$19.78 LRD 3,586

129.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$2.73 LRD 495

57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.25 LRD 227

-32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$17.33 LRD 3,143

5.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.26 LRD 229

57.94%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$12.5K LRD 2.3M

180.00%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

165.70%

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

$146 €126

$270 LRD 49.0K

-45.94%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$22.13 LRD 4,014

-7.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$95.0 LRD 17.2K

-58.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$75.5 LRD 13.7K

-35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$8.23 LRD 1,492

128.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$9.95 LRD 1,805

-4.32%

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

$608 €524

$131 LRD 23.8K

362.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$895 LRD 162.3K

1744.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$18.05 LRD 3,274

475.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$34.15 LRD 6,192

23.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

62.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$67.9 LRD 12.3K

76.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$676 LRD 122.7K

139.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$96.6 LRD 17.5K

1212.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,858 LRD 336.9K

64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$266 LRD 48.2K

655.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$713 LRD 129.3K

122.34%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $676 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 122% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $152 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $536 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 64% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,383 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 122% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $676 in Monrovia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $131 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 99% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,383 in Monrovia versus $2,263 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 64% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.