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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $891 in Secunda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,346 in Secunda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,802 in Secunda.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 148% more expensive than Secunda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Secunda is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.56 R 90.4

186.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$27.50 R 447

135.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.78 R 77.7

119.87%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.03 R 32.93

41.38%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.74 R 12.09

202.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.43 R 7.05

248.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.03 R 16.76

238.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.25 R 20.29

210.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.20 R 19.43

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.99 R 16.09

76.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.58 R 25.68

11.39%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.38 R 38.71

35.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.73 R 126

74.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.65 R 75.6

70.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.59 R 107

140.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.62 R 26.32

42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.53 R 24.87

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.67 R 27.17

20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.62 R 26.31

51.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.32 R 21.46

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.22 R 19.89

63.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.14 R 18.48

69.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.12 R 18.18

-29.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.84 R 46.19

132.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.18 R 84.2

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.58 R 25.70

-13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.87 R 30.46

58.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.62 R 26.39

46.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.41 R 22.94

204.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.32 R 21.43

-37.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$3.05 R 49.62

500.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.27 R 20.65

62.20%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$19.1K R 309.8K

79.80%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$25.6K R 416.0K

53.50%

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

$148 €127

$84.1 R 1,366

75.87%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$36.75 R 597

-44.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$38.49 R 626

2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$16.56 R 269

188.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$11.27 R 183

67.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.67 R 108

37.63%

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

$614 €528

$165 R 2,683

271.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$4,419 R 71.8K

263.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$49.76 R 809

110.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$32.63 R 530

28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$86.7 R 1,409

8.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$88.1 R 1,431

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$334 R 5,434

386.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$310 R 5,044

304.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$680 R 11.0K

345.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$481 R 7,816

320.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,024 R 16.6K

661.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$633 R 10.3K

574.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,486 R 24.1K

7.92%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Secunda: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $334 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Secunda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $182 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 148% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $891 including rent). Secunda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 8% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $334 in Secunda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $891 in Secunda – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $891 in Secunda versus $2,210 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 148% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.