Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Secunda Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Secunda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $890 in Secunda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,354 in Secunda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,818 in Secunda.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 157% more expensive than in Secunda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Secunda is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$5.47 R 90.3

195.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$27.89 R 460

127.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.80 R 79.3

115.00%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.04 R 33.75

38.73%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.75 R 12.32

205.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.43 R 7.17

267.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.00 R 16.45

240.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$1.26 R 20.76

219.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.20 R 19.84

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.91 R 15.03

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.61 R 26.64

9.32%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.39 R 39.51

32.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$7.90 R 130

66.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.69 R 77.5

69.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$6.29 R 104

146.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.67 R 27.62

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.61 R 26.64

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.68 R 27.66

19.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.71 R 28.16

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.37 R 22.65

28.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.21 R 19.95

67.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.13 R 18.59

69.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.11 R 18.31

-23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.74 R 45.19

140.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.24 R 86.5

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.51 R 24.99

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.86 R 30.77

59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.61 R 26.59

41.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.39 R 22.86

204.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.37 R 22.64

-40.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$3.09 R 51.0

496.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.31 R 21.63

58.78%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$19.0K R 312.8K

82.92%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$26.1K R 430.6K

50.07%

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

$148 €130

$85.6 R 1,412

72.98%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$37.49 R 619

-45.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$37.67 R 622

5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$16.59 R 274

189.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$11.07 R 183

68.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$6.68 R 110

38.02%

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

$616 €540

$169 R 2,782

265.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$4,407 R 72.7K

273.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$51.5 R 850

99.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$31.66 R 523

31.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$87.3 R 1,441

8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$88.2 R 1,456

38.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$337 R 5,560

384.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$303 R 4,994

307.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$678 R 11.2K

356.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$467 R 7,711

334.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$833 R 13.7K

839.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$768 R 12.7K

471.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,486 R 24.5K

8.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.69

-67.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Secunda: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $337 in Secunda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 8% 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 $28.00 in Secunda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $183 per month, with Secunda 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 Secunda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Secunda differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $890 including rent). Secunda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $337 in Secunda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $890 in Secunda – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $890 in Secunda versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Secunda but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Secunda 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 Secunda 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 Secunda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.