Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Roquetas de Mar

For one person, living is cheaper in Roquetas de Mar: $1,431 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Roquetas de Mar, Spain
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Roquetas de Mar
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,431
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Roquetas de Mar

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 Roquetas de Mar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,431 in Roquetas de Mar.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Roquetas de Mar $1,431

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,071 in Roquetas de Mar.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Roquetas de Mar $2,071

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,710 in Roquetas de Mar.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Roquetas de Mar $2,710

Living in Lisbon is roughly 54% more expensive than in Roquetas de Mar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Roquetas de Mar 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$16.60 €14.86
0.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$55.4 €49.60
11.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$10.43 €9.34
8.92%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.96 €1.76
51.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.77 €2.48
-17.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.71 €1.53
1.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$4.22 €3.78
-19.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$4.53 €4.06
-26.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.26 €1.13
-7.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.62 €1.45
17.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.84 €1.64
-17.93%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.64 €3.26
10.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$15.80 €14.15
-18.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$9.21 €8.25
-15.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$13.36 €11.97
32.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.63 €2.35
-12.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.81 €1.62
-4.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.56 €1.39
19.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.38 €2.13
8.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.92 €1.72
-5.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.97 €1.76
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.32 €1.18
11.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.70 €0.63
2.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.27 €5.62
4.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$5.34 €4.78
5.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.10 €0.99
23.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.71 €1.53
25.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.95 €0.85
145.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$33.93 €30.39
31.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$7.87 €7.05
-51.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.22 €1.10
-12.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$18.04 €16.16
-8.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.88 €1.69
17.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$34.7K €31.0K
-1.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$31.5K €28.2K
23.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$134 €120
20.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$15.92 €14.26
15.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$26.37 €23.61
24.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$36.37 €32.58
22.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$8.62 €7.72
11.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$397 €356
68.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$10.5K €9,445
67.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$73.0 €65.4
39.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$35.21 €31.54
26.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$95.0 €85.1
3.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$119 €107
3.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$560 €502
187.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$500 €448
138.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$779 €697
261.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$590 €528
241.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$1,977 €1,770
296.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$1,648 €1,476
177.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Roquetas de Mar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,310 €1,174
20.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.18
21.07%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Roquetas de Mar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Roquetas de Mar
$500 58% $690
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Roquetas de Mar
$269 1.1% $3
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Roquetas de Mar
$236 2.8% $6.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Roquetas de Mar
$176 17.1% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Roquetas de Mar
$145 12.5% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Roquetas de Mar
$54 15.9% $10
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Roquetas de Mar
$52 18.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $560 in Roquetas de Mar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 20% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $55 in Roquetas de Mar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $269 per month, with Roquetas de Mar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇪🇸 Roquetas de Mar
🕒 Local time
13:32 1:32 PM
14:32 2:32 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
106,510
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Roquetas de Mar 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Roquetas de Mar

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 Roquetas de Mar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Roquetas de Mar?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,431 in Roquetas de Mar, so Roquetas de Mar is about 35% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Roquetas de Mar?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Roquetas de Mar?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $560 in Roquetas de Mar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Lisbon and in Roquetas de Mar?
A monthly transit pass in Roquetas de Mar runs roughly 24% less than in Lisbon. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Roquetas de Mar?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,431 in Roquetas de Mar – Roquetas de Mar is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Roquetas de Mar?
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 Roquetas de Mar safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Roquetas de Mar are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Roquetas de Mar?
It comes down to priorities – Roquetas de Mar wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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