Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sligo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sligo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,989 in Sligo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $3,004 in Sligo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $4,020 in Sligo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 12% more expensive than Sligo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Sligo 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$17.49 €14.98

-7.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$81.1 €69.5

-20.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$10.20 €8.73

1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.78 €3.24

-26.72%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.12 €1.81

6.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.62 €1.39

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$6.70 €5.74

-47.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$5.91 €5.06

-32.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.49 €1.28

-27.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.62 €1.39

7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.48 €1.27

17.57%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.57 €3.05

-10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.69 €6.59

74.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$11.14 €9.54

-28.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$11.34 €9.71

41.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.06 €1.76

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.65 €1.41

4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.95 €2.52

-34.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.85 €2.44

-10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.38 €1.18

32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.30 €1.11

56.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.25 €1.07

58.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.07 €1.77

-58.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$17.80 €15.24

-61.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.65 €9.97

-50.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.75 €2.36

-50.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.22 €2.75

-9.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.24 €1.92

1.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$99.3 €85.0

-52.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$4.73 €4.05

-13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.53 €1.31

-46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$70.7 €60.5

-74.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.98 €1.69

1.52%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$42.9K €36.8K

-17.86%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$39.7K €34.0K

-3.11%

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

$145 €124

$183 €157

-20.74%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$22.66 €19.39

-7.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$50.5 €43.22

-20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$65.3 €55.9

-25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$11.45 €9.80

63.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$11.51 €9.85

-21.29%

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

$607 €519

$603 €516

0.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$2,320 €1,986

604.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$79.5 €68.0

31.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$38.08 €32.60

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$101 €86.6

-7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$75.5 €64.6

57.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,424 €1,219

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$805 €689

53.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,380 €2,037

27.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,403 €1,201

46.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,191 €1,875

251.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$4,324 €3,701

-63.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.53

-15.89%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sligo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,424 in Sligo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sligo pays 173% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $81.0 in Sligo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $290 per month, with Lisbon 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 Sligo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sligo differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,989 including rent). Sligo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sligo earns 173% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,424 in Sligo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $603 in Sligo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,989 in Sligo versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sligo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sligo 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 Sligo 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 Sligo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.