Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Qena Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Qena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $486 in Qena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $772 in Qena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,059 in Qena.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 356% more expensive than Qena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Qena is 64% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.78 €13.59
$4.06 E£203
288.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.5 €53.8
$16.08 E£805
288.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 €9.07
$5.95 E£298
77.14%
Cappuccino
$2.77 €2.38
$1.59 E£79.8
74.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €1.97
$0.34 E£17.17
570.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.14 E£6.83
1007.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.55 €3.05
$1.94 E£97.2
82.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 €3.43
$2.62 E£131
51.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 €0.93
$1.02 E£51.2
5.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 €1.52
$0.57 E£28.51
210.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 €1.52
$0.65 E£32.51
172.31%
Eggs
$3.12 €2.69
$2.17 E£109
43.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.34 €11.49
$3.55 E£178
275.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.99 €6.88
$6.41 E£321
24.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.92 €13.70
$9.57 E£479
66.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 €1.97
$1.39 E£69.5
64.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 €1.42
$0.46 E£23.13
256.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 €1.70
$0.40 E£19.93
395.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 €2.11
$0.56 E£28.13
337.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.52
$0.49 E£24.54
261.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.69
$0.55 E£27.48
258.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 €1.70
$0.30 E£15.21
556.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.69
$0.21 E£10.52
280.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.54 €5.63
$2.00 E£100
227.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €4.95
$7.40 E£371
-22.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.13
$1.21 E£60.6
9.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.57
$1.82 E£91.0
64.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.34 €2.01
$0.20 E£10.22
1070.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.85 €39.48
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.26 €3.66
$0.38 E£19.27
1021.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 €0.73
$0.13 E£6.61
546.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.86 €16.24
$2.00 E£100
843.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 €1.78
$0.33 E£16.37
527.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K €30.3K
$17.4K E£872.4K
102.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €33.2K
$33.0K E£1.7M
16.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 €130
$25.69 E£1,286
488.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.91 €18.00
$6.60 E£331
216.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.54 €34.05
$12.43 E£622
218.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.39 €41.67
$22.05 E£1,104
119.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.61 €16.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.04 €7.79
$3.49 E£175
159.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$610 €525
$96.9 E£4,852
529.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K €14.0K
$579 E£29.0K
2711.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €87.2
$11.31 E£566
795.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.58 €34.94
$19.70 E£987
105.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.0 €80.1
$108 E£5,410
-13.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €102
$49.64 E£2,486
139.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,603 €1,380
$192 E£9,589
736.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,239 €1,067
$101 E£5,036
1131.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,019 €2,599
$305 E£15.3K
890.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,061 €1,775
$179 E£8,943
1054.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,981 €6,872
$703 E£35.2K
1035.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,533 €3,903
$395 E£19.8K
1047.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Qena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,628 €1,402
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
10
-61.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Qena: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $192 in Qena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $16.00 in Qena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $144 per month, with Qena 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 Qena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Qena?
Lisbon and Qena differ by about 356% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $486 including rent). Qena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Qena?
You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $729 in Qena to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and Qena?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $192 in Qena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Qena?
All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $486 in Qena – a 356% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $486 in Qena versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qena but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Qena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Qena?
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 Qena safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Qena 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 Qena?
Expats usually find Qena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 356% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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