Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Punakha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Punakha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $319 in Punakha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $478 in Punakha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $638 in Punakha.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 596% more expensive than Punakha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Punakha is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

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

$2.28 €1.97

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.79 BTN 66.5

36.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.50 BTN 41.91

254.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.62 BTN 52.1

185.48%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$1.63 BTN 138

91.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$4.99 BTN 421

167.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$3.04 BTN 257

162.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$3.59 BTN 303

343.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$4.13 BTN 349

-44.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$2.29 BTN 193

-28.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.26 BTN 191

-12.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.79 BTN 66.9

210.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.50 BTN 42.63

254.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.94 BTN 79.1

109.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.30 BTN 25.61

556.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.46 BTN 38.67

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$3.54 BTN 299

84.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$3.10 BTN 262

85.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$0.82 BTN 69.0

60.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.37 BTN 116

118.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.27 BTN 192

3.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

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

$35.2K €30.3K

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

$38.6K €33.2K

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

$151 €130

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

$20.91 €18.00

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$17.35 BTN 1,464

127.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

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

$610 €525

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$25.92 BTN 2,188

290.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$11.44 BTN 966

254.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$54.6 BTN 4,607

70.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$41.59 BTN 3,510

185.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$106 BTN 8,913

1417.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$93.0 BTN 7,851

1231.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$105 BTN 8,900

2763.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$132 BTN 11.2K

1456.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$3,174 BTN 268.0K

151.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$2,991 BTN 252.5K

51.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$244 BTN 20.6K

568.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Punakha: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $106 in Punakha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 569% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Punakha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Punakha differ by about 596% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $319 including rent). Punakha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 569% more on average, 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $106 in Punakha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $319 in Punakha – a 596% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $319 in Punakha versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Punakha but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Punakha 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 Punakha 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 Punakha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 596% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.