Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Porirua

For one person, living costs are similar in Lisbon and in Porirua: $2,210 and $2,186 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lisbon, Portugal
Porirua, New Zealand
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Porirua
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$2,186
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Porirua

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 Porirua actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,186 in Porirua.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Porirua $2,186

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,131 in Porirua.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Porirua $3,131

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,076 in Porirua.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Porirua $4,076

Monthly costs are close between Lisbon and Porirua; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Porirua 61% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$13.84 NZ$24.59
20.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$66.0 NZ$117
-6.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$8.98 NZ$15.95
26.50%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.90 NZ$5.15
2.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.42 NZ$4.29
-5.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.70 NZ$3.02
2.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$7.24 NZ$12.86
-53.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$6.70 NZ$11.90
-50.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.96 NZ$3.48
-40.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.21 NZ$3.92
-13.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.88 NZ$3.34
-19.68%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$6.95 NZ$12.34
-42.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$9.36 NZ$16.63
38.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$9.68 NZ$17.19
-19.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$15.54 NZ$27.60
14.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.05 NZ$5.42
-24.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.24 NZ$3.98
-22.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.04 NZ$5.39
-38.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$6.70 NZ$11.91
-61.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.17 NZ$3.85
-16.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.26 NZ$2.23
56.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.01 NZ$3.58
-26.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.20 NZ$2.13
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$25.87 NZ$45.96
-74.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$11.28 NZ$20.04
-50.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$3.19 NZ$5.67
-57.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.90 NZ$5.15
-26.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.70 NZ$3.02
37.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$109 NZ$194
-59.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.90 NZ$3.38
102.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.85 NZ$3.28
-42.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$33.96 NZ$60.3
-51.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.55 NZ$2.75
41.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$28.9K NZ$51.4K
18.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$23.8K NZ$42.3K
62.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$122 NZ$218
31.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$33.64 NZ$59.8
-45.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$54.4 NZ$96.7
-39.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$38.32 NZ$68.1
16.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$12.17 NZ$21.61
-21.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,045 NZ$1,857
-36.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$13.1K NZ$23.2K
34.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$77.5 NZ$138
31.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$28.03 NZ$49.80
58.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$102 NZ$181
-3.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$153 NZ$272
-19.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,148 NZ$2,039
40.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$1,035 NZ$1,839
14.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,581 NZ$2,809
77.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,470 NZ$2,612
36.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$5,077 NZ$9,019
54.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$3,417 NZ$6,070
33.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Porirua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,785 NZ$4,947
-43.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.39
-28.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Porirua: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Porirua
$1K 13% $155
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Porirua
$350 28.6% $78
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Porirua
$238 1.7% $4.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Porirua
$211 0.8% $1.8
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Porirua
$162 2.3% $3.9
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Porirua
$63 1.7% $1.1
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Porirua
$127 102% $64

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,148 in Porirua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Porirua pays 77% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $66 in Porirua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $350 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇿 Porirua
🕒 Local time
08:35 8:35 AM
21:35 9:35 PM
13 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
61,900
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Porirua 19,580 km ≈ 25 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Porirua

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 Porirua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Lisbon. 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 Porirua?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,148 in Porirua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Lisbon and in Porirua?
A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 59% less than in Porirua. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $2,500 go in Lisbon compared to Porirua?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Porirua gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Porirua?
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 Porirua safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Porirua are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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