Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Paola Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Paola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,065 in Paola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $3,142 in Paola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,218 in Paola.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 10% more expensive than in Paola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Paola 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$20.02 €17.26

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$91.5 €78.9

-29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$13.87 €11.95

-16.01%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.75 €2.37

18.55%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$3.30 €2.84

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.33 €2.01

-28.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.62 €3.98

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$5.23 €4.51

-31.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.46 €1.26

-19.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.40 €1.21

39.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$4.64 €4.00

-66.38%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.45 €3.83

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.69 €7.49

52.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$10.63 €9.16

-20.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$18.89 €16.28

-3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.42 €3.81

-47.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.86 €2.46

-39.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.82 €3.29

-49.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.51 €3.03

-24.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.54 €2.19

-25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.14 €1.84

-1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.38 €2.05

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.38 €1.19

-42.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$7.21 €6.22

-2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$8.66 €7.47

-31.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.76 €1.52

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.41 €2.07

-10.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.44 €2.10

-2.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$5.96 €5.14

-29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.31 €1.99

-52.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$27.44 €23.66

-37.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.57 €1.36

43.31%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$39.8K €34.3K

-13.32%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$40.3K €34.7K

3.28%

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

$171 €147

$106 €91.4

61.10%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$26.82 €23.12

-29.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$44.88 €38.68

-23.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$65.6 €56.6

-24.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$10.35 €8.92

-2.42%

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

$699 €603

$386 €333

80.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$11.4K €9,835

55.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$91.5 €78.9

14.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$41.52 €35.79

15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$103 €88.5

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$79.9 €68.9

60.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,179 €1,016

40.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$959 €827

28.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,824 €1,572

59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,551 €1,337

30.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$4,055 €3,496

100.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,888 €2,490

60.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

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 5, 2026

Last update for Paola: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,179 in Paola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $92.0 in Paola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $342 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 Paola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Paola differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $2,065 including rent). Paola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $3,098 in Paola 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,179 in Paola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 21% 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 $2,065 in Paola – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,065 in Paola versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Paola 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 Paola 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 Paola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.