Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monteria Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Monteria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $758 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,168 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,579 in Monteria.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 202% more expensive than in Monteria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Monteria is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.81 COP 15.7K

236.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$31.26 COP 101.8K

102.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$7.45 COP 24.3K

38.52%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.75 COP 5,688

61.71%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.92 COP 2,981

148.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.64 COP 2,099

146.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.35 COP 4,387

151.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.92 COP 6,254

109.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.00 COP 3,243

9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.26 COP 4,111

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.03 COP 3,351

70.87%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.44 COP 4,687

120.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$4.62 COP 15.0K

185.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$2.85 COP 9,262

179.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$3.90 COP 12.7K

298.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.90 COP 6,180

24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.46 COP 1,489

271.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.98 COP 3,196

105.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.85 COP 2,755

185.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.91 COP 2,953

93.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.01 COP 3,304

100.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.81 COP 2,651

137.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.46 COP 1,486

84.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.73 COP 8,893

141.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$11.14 COP 36.3K

-49.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.90 COP 2,941

47.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.32 COP 4,284

125.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.67 COP 2,169

240.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$29.75 COP 96.9K

53.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.97 COP 6,422

114.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.86 COP 9,321

-71.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$4.40 COP 14.3K

319.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.93 COP 3,039

123.66%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$14.0K COP 45.5M

147.79%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$22.0K COP 71.7M

77.85%

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

$148 €130

$95.5 COP 310.7K

55.11%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$7.07 COP 23.0K

189.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$19.50 COP 63.5K

102.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$23.34 COP 76.0K

105.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$9.95 COP 32.4K

86.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$3.91 COP 12.7K

135.81%

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

$616 €539

$167 COP 542.7K

269.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,850 COP 6.0M

788.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$59.5 COP 193.6K

72.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$19.34 COP 63.0K

115.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$60.8 COP 197.8K

55.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$36.08 COP 117.5K

238.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$277 COP 902.1K

489.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$241 COP 784.1K

411.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$536 COP 1.7M

478.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$423 COP 1.4M

379.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$1,812 COP 5.9M

332.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,390 COP 4.5M

215.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$401 COP 1.3M

301.01%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Monteria: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $277 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 301% 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 $31.00 in Monteria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $136 per month, with Monteria 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 Monteria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Monteria differ by about 202% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $758 including rent). Monteria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 301% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $277 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $167 in Monteria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $758 in Monteria versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monteria but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Monteria 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 Monteria 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 Monteria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 202% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.