Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rota Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,618 in Rota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,375 in Rota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,133 in Rota.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 42% more expensive than in Rota, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Rota 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$17.04 €14.92

-4.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$43.52 €38.11

45.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$8.94 €7.83

15.44%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.97 €1.73

43.65%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.09 €1.83

9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.69 €1.48

-6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.85 €2.50

19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.38 €3.84

-7.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.15 €1.01

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.68 €1.47

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.51 €1.33

16.56%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$16.22 €14.20

-18.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$8.07 €7.07

-1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$14.34 €12.56

8.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.83 €2.47

-16.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.90 €1.66

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.94 €1.70

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.81 €2.46

-13.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.40 €2.10

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.46 €2.16

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.57 €1.37

22.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.02 €0.90

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.40 €5.61

2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$4.70 €4.12

18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.23 €1.08

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.06 €1.80

44.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.64 €1.43

39.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$33.72 €29.53

35.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.51 €3.08

20.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.13 €1.86

-61.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$29.41 €25.76

-37.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.80 €1.58

15.56%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$39.1K €34.3K

-11.40%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$30.5K €26.7K

28.57%

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

$148 €130

$137 €120

8.43%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$20.31 €17.78

0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$27.95 €24.48

41.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$47.82 €41.88

0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$14.77 €12.93

25.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$9.57 €8.38

-3.66%

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

$616 €540

$371 €325

65.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,402 €7,358

95.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$73.7 €64.5

39.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$33.95 €29.73

22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$79.8 €69.9

18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$107 €93.3

14.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$869 €761

87.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$703 €615

75.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,314 €1,151

135.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$991 €868

105.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,246 €2,843

141.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,340 €2,049

87.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.55

7.32%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rota: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $869 in Rota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $44.00 in Rota. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $277, 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 Rota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rota differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,618 including rent). Rota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $2,426 in Rota 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $869 in Rota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $371 in Rota. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,618 in Rota versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rota but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rota 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 Rota 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 Rota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.