Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monte Carlo

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $8,169 in Monte Carlo, rent and utilities included – about $71,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monte Carlo
🇲🇨 Monaco
$8,169
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Monte Carlo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Monte Carlo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $8,169 in Monte Carlo.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Monte Carlo $8,169

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $12.8K in Monte Carlo.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Monte Carlo $12.8K

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $17.3K in Monte Carlo.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Monte Carlo $17.3K

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 73% less than in Monte Carlo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Monte Carlo 503% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$41.62 €37.02
-59.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$127 €113
-50.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$11.08 €9.85
-0.54%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.27 €3.79
-26.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$9.08 €8.07
-75.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$10.69 €9.51
-83.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$9.93 €8.83
-65.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$13.86 €12.33
-73.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.27 €2.02
-48.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$4.91 €4.36
-62.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$4.62 €4.11
-66.67%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$4.58 €4.07
-11.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$20.91 €18.60
-38.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$17.00 €15.12
-53.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$22.58 €20.08
-21.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$6.35 €5.65
-64.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$7.24 €6.44
-75.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$4.72 €4.20
-59.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$8.62 €7.66
-70.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$5.72 €5.09
-67.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$5.52 €4.91
-64.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$4.96 €4.41
-70.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$6.05 €5.38
-87.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$12.16 €10.82
-44.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$16.59 €14.76
-65.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.01 €1.78
-31.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$4.39 €3.91
-51.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.90 €1.69
22.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$37.52 €33.38
18.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$5.65 €5.03
-30.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$2.20 €1.96
-52.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$112 €99.6
-84.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.40 €2.14
-8.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$53.6K €47.7K
-37.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$43.4K €38.6K
-11.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$529 €470
-69.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$59.8 €53.2
-69.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$95.0 €84.5
-65.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$528 €470
-91.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$55.5 €49.37
-66.35%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$17.70 €15.75
-44.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$3,580 €3,184
-80.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$16.6K €14.8K
5.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$220 €196
-52.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$77.7 €69.1
-40.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$194 €173
-48.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$282 €251
-55.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$2,768 €2,462
-42.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$5,304 €4,718
-77.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$11.0K €9,821
-74.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$11.3K €10.0K
-82.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$104.7K €93.1K
-92.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$84.3K €75.0K
-94.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Monte Carlo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$8,681 €7,722
-81.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
2
92.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Monte Carlo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Monte Carlo
$5.3K 354% $4.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Monte Carlo
$634 132% $361
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Monte Carlo
$574 132% $326
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Monte Carlo
$683 218% $468
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Monte Carlo
$348 107% $180
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Monte Carlo
$563 762% $498
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Monte Carlo
$62 1.8% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $2,768 in Monte Carlo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monte Carlo pays 443% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $127 in Monte Carlo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $634 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇨 Monte Carlo
🕒 Local time
23:06 11:06 PM
00:06 12:06 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
15,507
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Monte Carlo 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Monte Carlo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Carlo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Monte Carlo?
Lisbon and Monte Carlo differ by about 271% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $8,169 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 443% lower in Monte Carlo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Monte Carlo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $2,768 in Monte Carlo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Monte Carlo?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $3,580 in Monte Carlo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Monte Carlo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $8,169 in Monte Carlo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Monte Carlo. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Monte Carlo?
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.
Is Lisbon or Monte Carlo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Monte Carlo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Monte Carlo?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 271% less than in Monte Carlo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?