Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montanita Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montanita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $905 in Montanita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,355 in Montanita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,805 in Montanita.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 146% more expensive than Montanita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Montanita is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$3.43 $3.43

371.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$28.04 $28.04

130.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$7.40 $7.40

40.27%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.49 $2.49

11.24%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.87 $0.87

158.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.62 $0.62

153.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.02 $2.02

72.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.45 $3.45

15.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.14 $1.14

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.64 $1.64

6.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.54 $1.54

12.99%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.18 $2.18

45.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$5.37 $5.37

150.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.58 $5.58

43.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$6.37 $6.37

152.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.00 $2.00

14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.16 $1.16

48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.09 $1.09

77.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.08 $1.08

135.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.43 $1.43

27.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.03 $1.03

98.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.52 $0.52

280.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.98 $0.98

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$6.08 $6.08

12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$9.84 $9.84

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.47 $1.47

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.46 $2.46

17.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.34 $0.34

570.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$24.22 $24.22

93.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.48 $1.48

175.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.02 $1.02

-19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$9.85 $9.85

85.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.68 $0.68

195.59%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$25.5K $25.5K

38.53%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$28.5K $28.5K

35.23%

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

$145 €124

$39.47 $39.47

268.38%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$13.53 $13.53

54.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$30.21 $30.21

32.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$30.55 $30.55

59.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$14.85 $14.85

25.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$7.21 $7.21

25.66%

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

$607 €519

$260 $260

133.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,603 $5,603

191.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$56.0 $56.0

86.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$43.66 $43.66

-6.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$97.5 $97.5

-4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$73.8 $73.8

60.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$346 $346

363.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$319 $319

286.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$634 $634

380.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$502 $502

310.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,263 $1,263

510.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,005 $1,005

324.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-61.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Montanita: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $346 in Montanita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Montanita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $185 per month, with Montanita 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 Montanita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Montanita differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $905 including rent). Montanita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,357 in Montanita 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $346 in Montanita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $260 in Montanita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $905 in Montanita versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montanita but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Montanita 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 Montanita 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 Montanita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.