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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $901 in Montanita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,342 in Montanita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,783 in Montanita.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 155% more expensive than in Montanita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Montanita is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$3.40 $3.40

417.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$28.17 $28.17

123.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$7.26 $7.26

59.50%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.44 $2.44

27.05%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.91 $0.91

173.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.67 $0.67

159.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.96 $1.96

77.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.47 $3.47

-0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.14 $1.14

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.69 $1.69

13.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.56 $1.56

-3.85%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.16 $2.16

84.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$5.59 $5.59

137.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$5.55 $5.55

44.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$6.37 $6.37

183.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.03 $2.03

15.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.21 $1.21

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.04 $1.04

77.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.03 $1.03

147.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.43 $1.43

28.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.03 $1.03

103.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.49 $0.49

204.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.98 $0.98

-16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$6.08 $6.08

16.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$9.95 $9.95

-40.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.52 $1.52

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.46 $2.46

-13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.34 $0.34

594.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$23.90 $23.90

95.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.49 $1.49

173.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.99 $0.99

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$10.08 $10.08

69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.67 $0.67

244.78%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

39.10%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$29.0K $29.0K

42.44%

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

$169 €147

$40.09 $40.09

320.43%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$13.52 $13.52

42.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$30.20 $30.20

10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$29.85 $29.85

63.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

$14.46 $14.46

34.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$7.31 $7.31

30.92%

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

$696 €606

$250 $250

178.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,541 $5,541

213.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$56.9 $56.9

85.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$43.72 $43.72

9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$101 $101

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$74.0 $74.0

68.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$336 $336

395.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$320 $320

289.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$630 $630

370.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$498 $498

311.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$1,244 $1,244

529.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

$1,014 $1,014

340.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-62.20%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Montanita: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $336 in Montanita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Montanita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $186 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 155% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $901 including rent). Montanita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $1,352 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $336 in Montanita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $250 in Montanita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Montanita versus $2,296 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 155% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.