Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Scalea Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Scalea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $1,509 in Scalea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $2,280 in Scalea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $3,051 in Scalea.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 50% more expensive than Scalea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Scalea 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$5.68 €4.83

178.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$69.6 €59.3

-7.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$11.68 €9.94

-11.22%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$1.69 €1.44

71.01%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$2.41 €2.05

-7.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.30 €1.10

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$3.56 €3.03

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$3.46 €2.94

12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.40 €1.19

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.77 €1.50

1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.50 €2.13

-30.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$3.07 €2.61

3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$10.70 €9.10

26.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$11.11 €9.45

-29.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$15.93 €13.55

-1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$1.75 €1.49

30.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.61 €1.37

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.49 €1.27

29.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$1.75 €1.49

44.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.37 €1.17

30.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$1.19 €1.01

72.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$0.85 €0.72

128.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.44 €0.37

84.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$6.63 €5.64

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$4.63 €3.94

25.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.99 €1.69

-33.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$1.70 €1.45

71.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.77 €1.51

32.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$42.93 €36.54

6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$6.85 €5.83

-38.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.07 €0.91

-24.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$28.86 €24.56

-35.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$2.00 €1.70

4.50%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$25.8K €21.9K

34.20%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$25.8K €22.0K

53.51%

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

$146 €124

$210 €178

-30.40%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$14.50 €12.34

43.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$39.28 €33.43

1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$54.1 €46.02

-10.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$22.89 €19.48

-17.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$9.27 €7.89

-2.16%

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

$618 €526

$453 €385

36.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$6,970 €5,931

131.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$78.8 €67.0

32.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$29.06 €24.73

39.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$87.1 €74.1

7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$113 €96.1

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$750 €638

113.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$579 €492

117.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$1,236 €1,052

147.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$942 €802

113.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$3,078 €2,620

150.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$2,136 €1,818

104.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.59

-16.99%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Scalea: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $750 in Scalea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $70 in Scalea. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $260, with Scalea 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 Scalea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Scalea differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $1,509 including rent). Scalea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,387 in Lisbon and $2,264 in Scalea 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $750 in Scalea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $453 in Scalea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,509 in Scalea versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Scalea but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Scalea 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 Scalea 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 Scalea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.