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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $747 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,151 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,554 in Monteria.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 196% more expensive than Monteria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Monteria is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.71 COP 16.8K

237.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$31.22 COP 111.5K

107.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.30 COP 26.1K

43.97%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.71 COP 6,118

67.84%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.88 COP 3,141

154.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.64 COP 2,280

134.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.31 COP 4,670

166.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.92 COP 6,841

102.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.92 COP 3,273

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.32 COP 4,702

32.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.03 COP 3,661

70.87%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.44 COP 5,129

123.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$4.66 COP 16.6K

189.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$2.84 COP 10.1K

178.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$3.89 COP 13.9K

307.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.97 COP 7,032

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.46 COP 1,633

269.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.00 COP 3,556

101.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.82 COP 2,929

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.89 COP 3,190

106.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.01 COP 3,615

98.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.82 COP 2,924

135.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.46 COP 1,652

71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.77 COP 9,886

138.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$9.52 COP 34.0K

-39.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.86 COP 3,080

59.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.28 COP 4,578

132.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.69 COP 2,449

243.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$29.84 COP 106.5K

52.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.92 COP 6,852

123.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.82 COP 10.1K

-70.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$4.44 COP 15.9K

312.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.97 COP 3,480

112.37%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$13.9K COP 49.8M

145.96%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$22.7K COP 81.2M

72.72%

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

$148 €127

$97.2 COP 347.1K

52.13%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$7.06 COP 25.2K

190.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$19.73 COP 70.5K

100.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$23.31 COP 83.2K

105.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$9.64 COP 34.4K

96.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$3.98 COP 14.2K

130.65%

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

$614 €528

$167 COP 596.7K

267.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,784 COP 6.4M

799.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$59.6 COP 212.7K

75.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$19.36 COP 69.1K

117.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$61.4 COP 219.3K

53.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$36.85 COP 131.6K

224.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$282 COP 1.0M

477.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$236 COP 841.1K

432.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$520 COP 1.9M

482.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$422 COP 1.5M

378.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,634 COP 5.8M

377.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,204 COP 4.3M

254.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$358 COP 1.3M

347.82%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Monteria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $282 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 348% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in Monteria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $132 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 196% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $747 including rent). Monteria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 348% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $282 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 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 104% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $747 in Monteria versus $2,210 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 196% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.