Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Palawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Palawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $777 in Palawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,216 in Palawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,655 in Palawan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 187% more expensive than Palawan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Palawan is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$3.64 ₱224

344.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$19.42 ₱1,198

232.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$3.27 ₱202

217.43%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.64 ₱163

4.92%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.82 ₱50.6

174.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.40 ₱24.55

292.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.23 ₱76.1

183.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.15 ₱133

86.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.92 ₱119

-43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.22 ₱75.3

42.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.97 ₱59.6

79.38%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.06 ₱127

54.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.82 ₱482

71.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.23 ₱261

88.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$7.90 ₱487

103.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.98 ₱184

-23.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.50 ₱92.4

14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.72 ₱168

-28.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.59 ₱98.1

59.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.28 ₱141

-19.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.50 ₱154

-18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.11 ₱68.7

78.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.75 ₱46.56

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.92 ₱180

134.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.00 ₱432

-17.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.17 ₱72.1

17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.99 ₱122

45.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.28 ₱17.42

714.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.79 ₱48.48

416.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.24 ₱14.82

241.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$2.14 ₱132

753.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.15 ₱71.0

74.78%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$26.8K ₱1.7M

31.55%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

91.60%

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

$145 €124

$115 ₱7,066

26.91%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$33.00 ₱2,036

-36.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$27.96 ₱1,725

43.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$34.00 ₱2,097

43.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$4.38 ₱270

326.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.92 ₱365

53.04%

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

$607 €519

$149 ₱9,178

307.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$4,320 ₱266.5K

277.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$45.87 ₱2,829

128.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$26.30 ₱1,622

55.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$76.6 ₱4,723

22.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$53.5 ₱3,299

121.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$265 ₱16.3K

505.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$180 ₱11.1K

587.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$588 ₱36.3K

417.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$387 ₱23.8K

432.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,309 ₱142.4K

233.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$823 ₱50.7K

418.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.67

-42.88%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Palawan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $265 in Palawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $19.00 in Palawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $204 per month, with Palawan 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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Palawan differ by about 187% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $777 including rent). Palawan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,166 in Palawan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $265 in Palawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $777 in Palawan – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $777 in Palawan versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palawan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Palawan 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 Palawan 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 Palawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.