Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sunshine Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sunshine Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,962 in Sunshine Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,946 in Sunshine Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,930 in Sunshine Coast.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 13% more expensive than Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Sunshine Coast 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$14.40 A$20.17

10.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$66.2 A$92.8

-2.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.94 A$12.52

17.56%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.40 A$4.76

-15.59%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.14 A$3.00

4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.31 A$3.24

-35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$6.31 A$8.84

-44.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$7.09 A$9.93

-45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.27 A$1.78

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.81 A$2.54

-3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.74 A$2.44

1.15%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.35 A$6.09

-25.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$7.13 A$10.00

89.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.85 A$12.40

-10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$12.61 A$17.67

25.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.70 A$3.79

-14.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.29 A$3.21

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.51 A$4.92

-42.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.82 A$5.35

-35.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.91 A$2.67

-3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.73 A$2.42

15.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.92 A$2.69

0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.68 A$2.35

-52.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$23.79 A$33.33

-72.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$14.22 A$19.92

-59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$4.93 A$6.91

-72.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$5.78 A$8.10

-48.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.38 A$1.94

71.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$37.51 A$52.6

21.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.06 A$2.89

108.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.39 A$1.95

-41.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$34.17 A$47.87

-46.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.14 A$1.60

80.70%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.5K A$40.0K

20.17%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$21.5K A$30.2K

82.51%

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

$148 €127

$129 A$180

14.91%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$28.51 A$39.95

-28.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$44.05 A$61.7

-10.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$50.1 A$70.2

-4.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$15.68 A$21.97

20.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$13.19 A$18.49

-30.40%

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

$614 €529

$292 A$410

109.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,188 A$10.1K

123.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$60.4 A$84.6

73.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$47.44 A$66.5

-11.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$88.7 A$124

5.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$95.1 A$133

25.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,086 A$1,522

49.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$934 A$1,309

34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,791 A$2,509

69.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,642 A$2,300

23.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$5,366 A$7,519

-20.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$3,534 A$4,952

-54.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.25

-39.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,086 in Sunshine Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sunshine Coast pays 120% 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 $66.0 in Sunshine Coast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $321 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 Sunshine Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sunshine Coast differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,962 including rent). Sunshine Coast is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sunshine Coast earns 120% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,086 in Sunshine Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $292 in Sunshine Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,962 in Sunshine Coast versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sunshine Coast but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.