Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monte Argentario Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monte Argentario

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,894 in Monte Argentario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,979 in Monte Argentario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,064 in Monte Argentario.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 17% more expensive than Monte Argentario, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Monte Argentario 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$23.45 €20.19

-32.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$82.4 €70.9

-21.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.98 €10.32

-12.27%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.08 €1.79

37.98%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.37 €2.90

-33.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.37 €1.18

9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.86 €5.05

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.78 €4.97

-32.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.74 €1.50

-34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.98 €2.57

-41.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.31 €2.85

-46.83%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.24 €3.65

-24.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$21.68 €18.66

-37.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$14.01 €12.06

-43.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$22.91 €19.72

-30.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.03 €2.61

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.78 €2.39

-38.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.74 €3.22

-46.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.31 €3.71

-42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.44 €2.10

-24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.97 €1.70

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.48 €1.27

30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.53 €0.46

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.97 €6.00

-5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$9.25 €7.96

-38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.85 €1.59

-25.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.13 €2.69

-5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.71 €1.47

38.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$43.81 €37.72

3.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.71 €4.92

-24.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.13 €0.97

-27.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$30.66 €26.39

-40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.12 €1.83

-2.83%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.5K €32.3K

-8.57%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.1K €33.7K

0.49%

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

$148 €127

$227 €196

-35.00%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$11.29 €9.72

81.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$33.84 €29.14

17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$54.9 €47.26

-12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$23.08 €19.87

-18.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$12.51 €10.77

-26.62%

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

$614 €529

$893 €769

-31.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,889 €6,792

103.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$99.9 €86.0

4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$52.2 €44.90

-19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$122 €105

-23.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$197 €170

-39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$759 €653

114.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$570 €491

120.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,191 €1,026

154.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$919 €791

119.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$2,599 €2,238

200.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$2,201 €1,895

94.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.17

-8.63%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Monte Argentario: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $759 in Monte Argentario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $82.0 in Monte Argentario for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $407 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 Monte Argentario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Monte Argentario differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,894 including rent). Monte Argentario is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $2,842 in Monte Argentario 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $759 in Monte Argentario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $893 in Monte Argentario. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 51% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,894 in Monte Argentario versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Monte Argentario but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Monte Argentario 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 Monte Argentario 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 Monte Argentario gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.