Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and New Plymouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and New Plymouth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,954 in New Plymouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $3,039 in New Plymouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,123 in New Plymouth.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 16% more expensive than in New Plymouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, New Plymouth 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.09

$14.90 NZ$25.33

17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.5

$70.0 NZ$119

-7.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.01

$10.42 NZ$17.71

11.80%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.80

$3.51 NZ$5.97

-7.12%

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

$2.49 €2.14

$2.24 NZ$3.81

11.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.93 NZ$3.28

-13.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.33 NZ$9.07

-34.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.07

$6.00 NZ$10.20

-40.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.88 NZ$3.19

-37.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.66 NZ$2.82

17.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-9.83%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.45

$6.77 NZ$11.51

-40.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.41

$7.41 NZ$12.59

79.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.24

$12.89 NZ$21.91

-34.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.68

$12.21 NZ$20.75

49.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.72 NZ$4.62

-14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.98 NZ$3.36

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$3.21 NZ$5.46

-39.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$6.60 NZ$11.23

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.53 NZ$4.31

-24.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.47 NZ$2.50

43.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.95 NZ$3.32

-26.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.32 NZ$2.25

-39.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.03

$23.53 NZ$39.99

-70.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.09

$8.57 NZ$14.57

-30.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$3.08 NZ$5.24

-55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.95 NZ$6.71

-45.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.78 NZ$3.03

33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.74

$77.5 NZ$132

-40.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.76 NZ$2.99

27.84%

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

$34.5K €29.6K

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

-25.59%

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

$41.6K €35.8K

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

67.15%

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

$171 €147

$131 NZ$223

30.34%

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

$19.01 €16.34

$29.98 NZ$51.0

-36.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.48

$49.00 NZ$83.3

-30.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.69

$44.22 NZ$75.2

12.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.77

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.68

$8.56 NZ$14.56

17.99%

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

$699 €601

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.9

$86.9 NZ$148

20.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.24

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$92.9 NZ$158

9.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$118 NZ$200

8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,428

$947 NZ$1,609

75.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,056

$868 NZ$1,475

41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,506

$1,800 NZ$3,060

61.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,740

$1,640 NZ$2,788

23.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €6,989

$3,393 NZ$5,767

139.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,985

$2,739 NZ$4,655

69.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,392

$2,889 NZ$4,911

-43.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.93

-36.26%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $947 in New Plymouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $70.0 in New Plymouth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $339 per month, with Lisbon 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 New Plymouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and New Plymouth differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,954 including rent). New Plymouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in New Plymouth. 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $947 in New Plymouth. 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 $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,954 in New Plymouth – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in New Plymouth but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes New Plymouth 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 New Plymouth 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 New Plymouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.