Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Phoenix Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Phoenix

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $827 in Phoenix.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,317 in Phoenix.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,807 in Phoenix.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 178% more expensive than in Phoenix, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Phoenix is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$2.18 MUR 103

706.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$31.64 MUR 1,491

98.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.47 MUR 352

55.02%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.37 MUR 253

-42.27%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.61 MUR 28.66

308.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.52 MUR 24.50

234.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.07 MUR 97.6

68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$5.38 MUR 253

-36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.45 MUR 68.1

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.40 MUR 18.95

377.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.14 MUR 101

-29.91%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$5.11 MUR 241

-22.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.64 MUR 407

-7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$6.30 MUR 297

186.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$7.57 MUR 357

-68.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.87 MUR 182

-54.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$4.62 MUR 218

-59.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.45 MUR 68.3

75.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.82 MUR 38.83

124.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.84 MUR 39.51

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.73 MUR 34.37

104.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.76 MUR 35.62

7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$10.70 MUR 504

-44.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.11 MUR 99.3

-37.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.07 MUR 50.5

120.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$10.62 MUR 501

338.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.52 MUR 71.6

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.35 MUR 63.7

71.11%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

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

$41.4K €36.1K

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

$169 €147

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

$19.33 €16.85

$14.28 MUR 673

35.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$25.74 MUR 1,213

30.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$25.18 MUR 1,187

93.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$5.47 MUR 258

74.95%

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

$696 €607

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$52.6 MUR 2,479

100.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$52.0 MUR 2,452

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$534 MUR 25.2K

211.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$322 MUR 15.2K

286.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$832 MUR 39.2K

256.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$533 MUR 25.1K

284.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$961 MUR 45.3K

69.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-24.40%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phoenix: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $534 in Phoenix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Phoenix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $244 per month, with Phoenix 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 Phoenix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Phoenix differ by about 178% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $827 including rent). Phoenix is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $534 in Phoenix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $827 in Phoenix – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $827 in Phoenix versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Phoenix but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Phoenix 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 Phoenix 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 Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.