Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Roลพลˆava Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Roลพลˆava

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,376 in Roลพลˆava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,949 in Roลพลˆava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,521 in Roลพลˆava.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 64% more expensive than Roลพลˆava, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Roลพลˆava 2% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.94 โ‚ฌ13.82
$9.52 โ‚ฌ8.26
67.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.4 โ‚ฌ55.0
$28.45 โ‚ฌ24.67
122.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 โ‚ฌ9.01
$9.12 โ‚ฌ7.91
13.82%
Cappuccino
$2.79 โ‚ฌ2.42
$1.14 โ‚ฌ0.98
144.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.03
$1.98 โ‚ฌ1.71
18.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 โ‚ฌ1.36
$1.62 โ‚ฌ1.41
-3.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 โ‚ฌ2.97
$2.30 โ‚ฌ1.99
49.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 โ‚ฌ3.39
$2.10 โ‚ฌ1.82
86.19%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.94
$1.09 โ‚ฌ0.94
-0.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.53
$0.95 โ‚ฌ0.82
86.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.48
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.98
-25.00%
Eggs
$3.15 โ‚ฌ2.73
$3.44 โ‚ฌ2.98
-8.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.68 โ‚ฌ11.86
$9.20 โ‚ฌ7.98
48.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.01 โ‚ฌ6.95
$7.43 โ‚ฌ6.44
7.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.52 โ‚ฌ13.46
$11.46 โ‚ฌ9.93
35.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 โ‚ฌ1.99
$1.19 โ‚ฌ1.03
92.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.42
$1.46 โ‚ฌ1.27
12.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 โ‚ฌ1.68
$2.30 โ‚ฌ1.99
-15.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 โ‚ฌ2.18
$4.00 โ‚ฌ3.47
-37.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.55
$0.71 โ‚ฌ0.62
152.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 โ‚ฌ1.74
$0.72 โ‚ฌ0.62
179.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.70
$1.40 โ‚ฌ1.22
40.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 โ‚ฌ0.73
$0.71 โ‚ฌ0.61
18.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 โ‚ฌ5.89
$5.73 โ‚ฌ4.97
18.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 โ‚ฌ4.92
$3.55 โ‚ฌ3.08
59.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 โ‚ฌ1.21
$0.67 โ‚ฌ0.58
107.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 โ‚ฌ2.62
$1.40 โ‚ฌ1.21
115.71%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.27 โ‚ฌ1.97
$1.18 โ‚ฌ1.03
92.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.44 โ‚ฌ39.40
$29.20 โ‚ฌ25.33
55.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 โ‚ฌ3.72
$2.36 โ‚ฌ2.04
81.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 โ‚ฌ0.74
$0.85 โ‚ฌ0.74
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.28 โ‚ฌ15.85
$14.14 โ‚ฌ12.26
29.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 โ‚ฌ1.72
$1.83 โ‚ฌ1.58
8.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K โ‚ฌ30.4K
$24.9K โ‚ฌ21.6K
40.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K โ‚ฌ34.3K
$25.5K โ‚ฌ22.1K
55.27%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 โ‚ฌ127
$229 โ‚ฌ198
-36.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.45 โ‚ฌ17.73
$28.45 โ‚ฌ24.67
-28.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.98 โ‚ฌ33.80
$22.81 โ‚ฌ19.78
70.89%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.98 โ‚ฌ42.48
$42.75 โ‚ฌ37.07
14.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.83 โ‚ฌ16.33
$17.16 โ‚ฌ14.88
9.73%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 โ‚ฌ8.26
$8.58 โ‚ฌ7.44
10.96%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$608 โ‚ฌ527
$458 โ‚ฌ397
32.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K โ‚ฌ14.3K
$7,320 โ‚ฌ6,348
125.56%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 โ‚ฌ90.1
$61.1 โ‚ฌ52.9
70.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.12 โ‚ฌ36.53
$31.53 โ‚ฌ27.34
33.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 โ‚ฌ80.0
$82.3 โ‚ฌ71.3
12.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 โ‚ฌ104
$103 โ‚ฌ89.5
16.30%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 โ‚ฌ1,406
$586 โ‚ฌ508
176.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,268 โ‚ฌ1,099
$487 โ‚ฌ423
160.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,048 โ‚ฌ2,643
$963 โ‚ฌ835
216.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,009 โ‚ฌ1,742
$753 โ‚ฌ653
166.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,663 โ‚ฌ6,645
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,329 โ‚ฌ3,754
-
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Roลพลˆava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,585 โ‚ฌ1,374
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
4.16
-8.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Roลพลˆava: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $586 in Roลพลˆava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Roลพลˆava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $217 per month, with Roลพลˆava 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 Roลพลˆava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Roลพลˆava?
Lisbon and Roลพลˆava differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,376 including rent). Roลพลˆava is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Roลพลˆava?
You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $2,064 in Roลพลˆava 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 Roลพลˆava?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $586 in Roลพลˆava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Roลพลˆava?
Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $458 in Roลพลˆava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,376 in Roลพลˆava versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roลพลˆava but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Roลพลˆava the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Roลพลˆava?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Roลพลˆava safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Roลพลˆava 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 Roลพลˆava?
Expats usually find Roลพลˆava gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 64% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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