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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,282 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,022 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,762 in Monteria.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 81% more expensive than in Monteria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Monteria is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$5.07 COP 16.0K

241.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$41.94 COP 131.8K

50.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$9.92 COP 31.2K

14.82%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$3.68 COP 11.6K

-13.32%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.92 COP 6,048

27.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.81 COP 5,705

-2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.00 COP 6,296

79.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$4.64 COP 14.6K

-26.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.86 COP 5,838

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.45 COP 7,712

-19.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.48 COP 4,640

2.70%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$4.94 COP 15.5K

-18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$7.19 COP 22.6K

88.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$10.87 COP 34.2K

-22.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$13.84 COP 43.5K

31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.66 COP 11.5K

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.46 COP 4,578

19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.70 COP 5,354

9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.06 COP 6,486

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.61 COP 5,074

19.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.33 COP 4,180

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.28 COP 4,031

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.13 COP 3,565

-25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$4.58 COP 14.4K

48.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$14.30 COP 45.0K

-60.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.46 COP 4,601

-5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$3.12 COP 9,813

-28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.28 COP 4,016

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.55 COP 4,883

169.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.77 COP 11.8K

-69.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$9.60 COP 30.2K

84.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.36 COP 4,268

70.59%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$23.6K COP 74.2M

49.67%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$35.1K COP 110.2M

18.24%

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

$170 €146

$78.4 COP 246.4K

117.34%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$12.68 COP 39.9K

52.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$32.40 COP 101.9K

3.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$41.40 COP 130.1K

16.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$8.39 COP 26.4K

18.24%

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

$717 €617

$646 COP 2.0M

10.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$5,808 COP 18.3M

200.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$74.5 COP 234.3K

40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$58.3 COP 183.2K

-19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$157 COP 494.0K

-34.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$120 COP 376.7K

3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$633 COP 2.0M

165.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$528 COP 1.7M

140.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,046 COP 3.3M

185.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$1,062 COP 3.3M

87.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,961 COP 6.2M

298.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,882 COP 5.9M

147.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-74.73%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Monteria: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $633 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $42.00 in Monteria. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $299, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 81% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,282 including rent). Monteria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,474 in Lisbon and $1,923 in Monteria 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $633 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $1,282 in Monteria – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,282 in Monteria versus $2,316 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 81% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.