Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mosta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mosta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,682 in Mosta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,568 in Mosta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,454 in Mosta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 36% more expensive than in Mosta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Mosta 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$17.68 €15.48

-8.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$68.4 €59.9

-7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.73 €10.27

-12.02%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.42 €2.12

16.94%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.78 €1.56

28.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.04 €0.91

51.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.80 €2.46

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.39 €3.85

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.21 €1.06

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.37 €1.20

27.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.53 €3.09

-50.14%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.87 €2.51

10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$8.03 €7.03

64.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$5.02 €4.40

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$10.44 €9.15

48.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.31 €2.03

2.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.54 €1.34

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.81 €1.59

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.29 €2.01

6.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.38 €1.21

27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.69 €2.35

-24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.91 €1.67

0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.77 €0.67

10.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.35 €5.56

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.07 €5.32

-8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.17 €1.02

13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.37 €1.20

116.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.84 €2.49

-19.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.14 €3.63

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.87 €1.64

-56.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$28.84 €25.26

-36.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.50 €1.31

38.67%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$26.1K €22.8K

33.07%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$40.2K €35.2K

-2.66%

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

$148 €130

$89.9 €78.7

64.74%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$22.74 €19.92

-10.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$33.02 €28.92

19.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$68.9 €60.4

-30.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$8.58 €7.51

116.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$14.11 €12.36

-34.66%

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

$616 €540

$258 €226

139.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$11.8K €10.3K

39.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$74.2 €65.0

38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$37.97 €33.26

9.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$105 €92.3

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$84.2 €73.7

44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$968 €848

68.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$834 €730

47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,647 €1,443

88.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,382 €1,211

46.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,822 €1,596

-11.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.62

-17.53%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mosta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $968 in Mosta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mosta pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $68.0 in Mosta. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $218, with Mosta 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 Mosta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mosta differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,682 including rent). Mosta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Mosta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $968 in Mosta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,682 in Mosta – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,682 in Mosta versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mosta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mosta 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 Mosta 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 Mosta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.