Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Paralimni

For one person, living is cheaper in Paralimni: $1,664 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Paralimni
🇨🇾 Cyprus
$1,664
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Paralimni

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Paralimni actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $1,664 in Paralimni.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Paralimni $1,664

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $2,742 in Paralimni.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Paralimni $2,742

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $3,821 in Paralimni.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Paralimni $3,821

Living in Lisbon is roughly 34% more expensive than in Paralimni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Paralimni 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$16.50 €14.67
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$55.3 €49.18
10.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$9.00 €8.01
25.22%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.56 €3.17
-14.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.86 €1.66
21.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.13 €1.00
53.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$4.14 €3.68
-18.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$3.89 €3.46
-12.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.01 €1.79
-44.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.41 €1.26
31.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$2.39 €2.13
-35.98%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$5.16 €4.59
-23.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$13.53 €12.04
-5.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$6.86 €6.10
15.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$12.55 €11.16
35.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.21 €2.86
-29.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.79 €1.59
-2.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.10 €1.87
-11.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$3.55 €3.16
-27.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.45 €1.29
28.28%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.18 €1.05
71.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.48 €0.43
200.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.03 €0.92
-20.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$5.23 €4.65
25.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$6.76 €6.01
-16.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.40 €1.25
-8.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.99 €1.77
4.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.19 €1.95
7.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$44.83 €39.88
-1.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$8.26 €7.35
-51.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$2.07 €1.84
-47.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$16.71 €14.86
-0.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.59 €1.42
43.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$22.5K €20.1K
49.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$30.4K €27.0K
29.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$184 €164
-8.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$21.89 €19.47
-14.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$32.89 €29.25
0.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$66.0 €58.7
-30.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$55.7 €49.56
-65.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$11.19 €9.95
-12.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$436 €388
55.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$6,670 €5,933
153.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$68.1 €60.6
48.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$45.40 €40.38
0.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$79.1 €70.4
26.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$86.9 €77.3
41.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$659 €586
145.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$622 €553
92.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$1,314 €1,169
117.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,476 €1,313
34.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$3,108 €2,765
143.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$3,655 €3,251
17.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Paralimni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,744 €1,551
-8.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.31
16.31%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Paralimni: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Paralimni
$622 48.1% $576
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Paralimni
$275 2.3% $6.1
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Paralimni
$242 0% $0
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Paralimni
$239 8.8% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Paralimni
$126 24.4% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Paralimni
$88 34.5% $23
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Paralimni
$72 14.6% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $659 in Paralimni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paralimni pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $55.0 in Paralimni. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $275, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇾 Paralimni
🕒 Local time
16:05 4:05 PM
18:05 6:05 PM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
15,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Paralimni 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Paralimni

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Paralimni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Paralimni?
Lisbon and Paralimni differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $1,664 including rent). Paralimni is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Paralimni. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Paralimni?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $659 in Paralimni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Paralimni?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $436 in Paralimni. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,664 in Paralimni versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Paralimni but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Paralimni the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Paralimni?
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.
Is Lisbon or Paralimni safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Paralimni are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Paralimni?
Expats usually find Paralimni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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