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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,267 in Sunshine Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $3,485 in Sunshine Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,703 in Sunshine Coast.

Monthly costs are close between Lisbon and Sunshine Coast; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Sunshine Coast 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$17.82 A$24.84

-1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$76.5 A$107

-15.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.62 A$14.80

9.70%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.30 A$5.99

-24.19%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.87 A$4.00

-13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.85 A$3.98

-41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$7.99 A$11.14

-56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$9.50 A$13.25

-62.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.37 A$1.91

-13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.94 A$2.71

0.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.11 A$2.94

-26.07%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.77 A$6.64

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$11.35 A$15.82

16.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$8.44 A$11.77

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$21.39 A$29.82

-14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.11 A$4.33

-25.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.63 A$3.66

-34.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.12 A$4.35

-38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.04 A$5.63

-34.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.12 A$2.95

-10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.74 A$2.43

21.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.25 A$3.13

-36.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.42 A$3.38

-66.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$48.97 A$68.3

-85.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$16.03 A$22.34

-63.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$5.37 A$7.49

-74.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$6.33 A$8.82

-66.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.53 A$2.14

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$41.88 A$58.4

10.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.25 A$3.14

86.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.61 A$2.24

-31.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$36.86 A$51.4

-53.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.28 A$1.79

75.78%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$31.6K A$44.1K

9.02%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$31.7K A$44.2K

31.18%

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

$171 €147

$142 A$199

20.01%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$44.03 A$61.4

-56.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$68.7 A$95.8

-50.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$51.9 A$72.3

-4.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$17.55 A$24.47

11.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$15.82 A$22.06

-36.16%

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

$699 €603

$2,155 A$3,004

-67.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$65.8 A$91.8

58.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$115 A$160

-58.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$103 A$144

-1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$103 A$144

24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,239 A$1,728

34.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$1,049 A$1,463

17.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,942 A$2,707

50.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,762 A$2,457

14.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$5,667 A$7,901

43.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$5,264 A$7,339

-11.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,544 A$4,941

-54.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.75

-34.26%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,239 in Sunshine Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sunshine Coast pays 119% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $76.0 in Sunshine Coast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $384 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

On paper, salaries run 119% lower in Sunshine Coast. 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,239 in Sunshine Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sunshine Coast runs roughly 10% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,267 in Sunshine Coast versus $2,268 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.

It comes down to priorities – Sunshine Coast wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.