Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Portsmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Portsmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $932 in Portsmouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,647 in Portsmouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,362 in Portsmouth.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 146% more expensive than in Portsmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Portsmouth is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.23

$5.49 EC$14.81

220.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.4

$54.9 EC$148

14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.03

$6.56 EC$17.70

76.52%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.68

$2.61 EC$7.04

18.77%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.16 EC$5.82

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.81 EC$4.88

-3.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.01

$2.53 EC$6.82

37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$3.76 EC$10.15

-8.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$2.75 EC$7.42

-58.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$2.24 EC$6.04

-14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.09 EC$5.63

-28.23%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$6.55 EC$17.68

-39.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.51

$2.55 EC$6.89

421.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$5.60 EC$15.13

43.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.62

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$7.30 EC$19.71

-67.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.64 EC$7.12

-33.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$4.18 EC$11.30

-55.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$4.03 EC$10.89

-36.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.81 EC$7.59

-34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.79 EC$7.55

-24.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.87 EC$5.04

-20.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.87 EC$5.06

-56.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.11

$11.28 EC$30.46

-47.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.83 EC$4.94

-28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.67 EC$7.20

-20.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$0.78 EC$2.09

202.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$3.74 EC$10.11

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.66 EC$9.90

-68.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.80

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

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

$34.1K €29.5K

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

$41.4K €35.8K

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

$169 €146

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

$19.33 €16.74

$40.10 EC$108

-51.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.01

$64.0 EC$173

-47.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.28

$36.63 EC$98.9

33.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.28

$11.29 EC$30.47

-15.23%

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

$696 €602

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.2

$56.2 EC$152

87.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.34

$24.41 EC$65.9

95.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.0

$56.1 EC$151

79.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$67.6 EC$183

84.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,439

$255 EC$690

550.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,079

$221 EC$596

464.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,566

$655 EC$1,769

352.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,773

$625 EC$1,687

227.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,782

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,865

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,412

$627 EC$1,692

160.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $255 in Portsmouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 160% 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 $55.0 in Portsmouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $290, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Portsmouth differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $932 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 160% 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 $255 in Portsmouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Portsmouth – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $932 in Portsmouth – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Portsmouth versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Portsmouth but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.