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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,685 in Mosta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,538 in Mosta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,390 in Mosta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 31% more expensive than Mosta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Mosta 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$17.10 €14.72

-6.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$69.7 €60.0

-7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.76 €10.12

-10.63%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.53 €2.18

13.44%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.77 €1.52

26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.05 €0.90

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.82 €2.43

23.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.21 €3.63

-7.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.27 €1.09

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.41 €1.21

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.53 €3.04

-50.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.74 €2.36

17.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$8.31 €7.16

62.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.99 €4.29

58.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$10.28 €8.85

54.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.43 €2.09

-4.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.48 €1.28

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.76 €1.52

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.32 €2.00

6.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.39 €1.20

32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.73 €2.35

-26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.86 €1.60

3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.76 €0.65

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.55 €5.64

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.08 €5.24

-5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.16 €1.00

18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.36 €1.17

118.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.94 €2.53

-19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.16 €3.58

3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.91 €1.64

-57.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$28.86 €24.86

-36.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.51 €1.30

36.42%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$26.0K €22.4K

31.91%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$40.5K €34.9K

-3.04%

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

$148 €127

$88.3 €76.0

67.48%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$22.93 €19.74

-10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$32.77 €28.21

20.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$68.0 €58.6

-29.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$8.65 €7.45

118.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$13.79 €11.88

-33.43%

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

$614 €529

$267 €230

130.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$11.4K €9,800

41.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$76.4 €65.8

36.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$37.62 €32.40

11.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$107 €92.3

-12.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$83.3 €71.7

43.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$949 €817

71.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$825 €710

52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,673 €1,441

81.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,376 €1,185

46.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,840 €1,585

-12.87%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mosta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $949 in Mosta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mosta pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $70.0 in Mosta. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $219, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,685 including rent). Mosta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mosta earns 15% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $949 in Mosta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,685 in Mosta – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,685 in Mosta versus $2,210 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 31% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.