Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Msida Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Msida

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,815 in Msida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,745 in Msida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,676 in Msida.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 27% more expensive than in Msida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Msida 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$11.58 €10.08

51.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$52.3 €45.53

20.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$11.38 €9.92

1.76%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.35 €2.04

31.91%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.38 €2.07

4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.14 €1.00

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$4.63 €4.04

-24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.49 €3.04

-1.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.16 €1.01

-0.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.35 €1.17

41.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$4.51 €3.93

-66.74%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.83 €2.47

40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$8.76 €7.63

51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$10.79 €9.40

-25.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$19.22 €16.75

-6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.24 €3.70

-44.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.90 €2.53

-39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.78 €3.30

-51.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.45 €3.01

-26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.61 €2.28

-29.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.02 €1.76

3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.34 €2.03

-36.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.39 €1.21

-41.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$7.03 €6.13

1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.38 €7.30

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.78 €1.55

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.42 €2.11

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.35 €2.05

0.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.73 €4.99

-28.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.29 €2.00

-50.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$27.37 €23.85

-37.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.51 €1.32

52.98%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$38.3K €33.4K

-10.98%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$39.5K €34.4K

4.73%

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

$169 €147

$84.6 €73.7

99.21%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$26.48 €23.07

-27.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$29.09 €25.35

15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$58.1 €50.6

-15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$10.43 €9.09

-8.25%

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

$696 €606

$379 €330

83.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$11.7K €10.2K

48.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$88.8 €77.3

18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$41.07 €35.78

16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$105 €91.5

-4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$82.3 €71.7

51.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$1,081 €941

53.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$942 €821

32.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$1,831 €1,595

61.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$1,518 €1,322

34.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$2,867 €2,498

-43.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.9

30.34%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Msida: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,081 in Msida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Msida pays 76% 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 $52.0 in Msida. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $332, 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 Msida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Msida differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,815 including rent). Msida is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Msida. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,081 in Msida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,815 in Msida – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,815 in Msida versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Msida but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Msida 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 Msida 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 Msida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.