Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Surat Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Surat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $888 in Surat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $942 in Surat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $996 in Surat.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 149% more expensive than Surat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.58 ₹341

344.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$11.41 ₹1,087

467.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$3.42 ₹326

207.31%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.74 ₹166

64.94%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.40 ₹37.82

460.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.20 ₹19.44

650.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.13 ₹298

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.95 ₹377

-1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.73 ₹69.6

56.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.53 ₹50.3

230.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.67 ₹64.3

162.69%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.03 ₹98.0

212.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.13 ₹489

162.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.11 ₹296

154.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.43 ₹137

61.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.64 ₹61.1

165.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.95 ₹90.8

111.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.61 ₹58.1

303.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.36 ₹34.22

411.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.44 ₹41.69

354.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.60 ₹56.9

221.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.35 ₹32.92

125.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.86 ₹368

71.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.56 ₹720

-24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.57 ₹245

-46.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$4.01 ₹382

-25.94%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$8.42 ₹802

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.24 ₹22.86

887.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$5.65 ₹538

706.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.97 ₹92.7

342.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$1.18 ₹113

1450.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.13 ₹108

82.30%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$11.6K ₹1.1M

195.75%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$21.5K ₹2.0M

83.07%

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

$148 €127

$38.31 ₹3,649

285.98%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$3.37 ₹321

508.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$7.72 ₹736

413.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$17.76 ₹1,691

169.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$6.74 ₹642

180.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$2.90 ₹276

216.55%

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

$614 €528

$48.91 ₹4,659

1155.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$1,294 ₹123.2K

1140.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$24.00 ₹2,286

336.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$24.62 ₹2,345

70.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$42.46 ₹4,045

121.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$42.48 ₹4,047

181.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$241 ₹23.0K

574.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$557 ₹53.1K

125.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$506 ₹48.2K

499.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$275 ₹26.2K

635.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$693 ₹66.1K

1024.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$306 ₹29.2K

1296.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$327 ₹31.2K

389.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.2

-58.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Surat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $241 in Surat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 390% 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 $11.00 in Surat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $113 per month, with Surat 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 Surat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Surat differ by about 149% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $888 including rent). Surat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 390% 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 $241 in Surat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $48.91 in Surat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 139% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $888 in Surat versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Surat but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Surat 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 Surat 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 Surat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.