Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,900 in Rabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,823 in Rabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,747 in Rabat.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 21% more expensive than in Rabat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Rabat 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$17.60 €15.41

-8.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$69.5 €60.8

-8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.35 €9.94

-9.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.37 €2.08

19.41%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.65 €2.32

-13.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.77 €1.55

-10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.46 €3.03

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.54 €3.10

13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.14 €1.00

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.25 €1.09

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.25 €1.97

-21.78%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.76 €3.29

-15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$10.35 €9.07

27.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$8.29 €7.26

-3.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$19.38 €16.97

-19.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.45 €3.90

-46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.36 €2.07

-27.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.36 €2.95

-40.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.30 €2.01

5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.13 €0.99

55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.19 €1.05

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.19 €1.04

61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.19 €1.04

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.63 €5.81

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.27 €7.24

-32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.87 €1.64

-28.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.26 €1.98

31.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.97 €2.60

-23.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.94 €5.20

-28.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$4.25 €3.72

-80.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$49.49 €43.34

-62.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.51 €1.32

37.75%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$38.8K €34.0K

-10.71%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$38.1K €33.4K

2.70%

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

$148 €130

$92.8 €81.3

59.54%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$12.79 €11.21

59.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$44.68 €39.13

-11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$69.2 €60.6

-30.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$34.97 €30.62

-46.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$10.36 €9.07

-11.00%

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

$616 €540

$430 €376

43.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$11.0K €9,591

50.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$90.6 €79.4

13.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$28.70 €25.13

45.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$74.6 €65.3

27.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$100 €87.9

21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,152 €1,009

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$932 €816

32.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,993 €1,746

55.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,534 €1,344

32.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$4,061 €3,556

92.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$3,107 €2,721

41.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,366 €1,196

17.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.2

19.06%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rabat: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,152 in Rabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 18% 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 $69.0 in Rabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $295 per month, with Lisbon 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 Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rabat differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,900 including rent). Rabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,152 in Rabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,900 in Rabat – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,900 in Rabat versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rabat but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rabat 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 Rabat 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 Rabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.