Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sharm El Sheikh Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sharm El Sheikh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $473 in Sharm El Sheikh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $731 in Sharm El Sheikh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $989 in Sharm El Sheikh.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 380% more expensive than in Sharm El Sheikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Sharm El Sheikh is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$23.90 E£1,226

169.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.03 E£258

131.61%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.30 E£118

41.74%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.36 E£18.52

591.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.62 E£31.65

169.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.02 E£206

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$5.05 E£259

-29.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.90 E£46.21

31.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.50 E£25.80

212.00%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.21 E£62.1

231.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.88 E£199

117.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.56 E£79.8

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.51 E£25.94

239.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.51 E£26.07

278.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.30 E£15.44

780.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.19 E£112

220.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.58 E£81.1

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.10 E£5.02

2280.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.45 E£22.93

400.00%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$32.9K E£1.7M

4.76%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$22.5K E£1.2M

85.23%

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

$171 €147

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

$19.01 €16.38

$11.70 E£600

62.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$29.27 E£1,502

17.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$368 E£18.9K

352.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$308 E£15.8K

298.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$645 E£33.1K

352.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$547 E£28.1K

269.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$1,002 E£51.4K

711.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$700 E£35.9K

561.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$156 E£8,019

936.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

26.5

-85.74%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $368 in Sharm El Sheikh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 936% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $24.00 in Sharm El Sheikh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $58.0 per month, with Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sharm El Sheikh differ by about 380% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $473 including rent). Sharm El Sheikh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 936% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $368 in Sharm El Sheikh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sharm El Sheikh – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $473 in Sharm El Sheikh – a 380% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $473 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sharm El Sheikh but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 380% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.