Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Swindon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,768 in Swindon, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Swindon, United Kingdom
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Swindon
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,768
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Swindon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Swindon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,768 in Swindon.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Swindon $2,768

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,814 in Swindon.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Swindon $3,814

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,861 in Swindon.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Swindon $4,861

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 20% less than in Swindon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Swindon 103% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$20.27 £15.14
-17.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$63.0 £47.07
-2.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$10.72 £8.01
5.97%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$4.79 £3.58
-38.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$3.12 £2.33
-26.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.60 £1.20
8.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$5.72 £4.27
-40.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$4.62 £3.45
-28.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.67 £1.25
-30.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.96 £1.46
-2.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.87 £1.40
-19.25%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$4.49 £3.35
-10.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$9.48 £7.08
36.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$9.18 £6.86
-15.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$14.45 £10.80
22.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.11 £2.32
-26.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.47 £1.84
-29.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$4.08 £3.05
-54.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.24 £3.17
-38.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.02 £1.51
-9.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.73 £1.30
13.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.97 £1.47
-25.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.72 £1.28
-58.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$23.34 £17.44
-71.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$15.27 £11.41
-63.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$3.86 £2.88
-64.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.82 £2.86
-43.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$4.09 £3.06
-43.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$98.9 £73.9
-54.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$6.79 £5.07
-43.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.69 £1.26
-36.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$21.54 £16.09
-23.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.03 £1.52
8.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$39.0K £29.2K
-12.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$40.8K £30.5K
-5.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$636 £475
-74.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$16.23 £12.12
13.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$44.50 £33.25
-26.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$34.18 £25.54
30.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$23.11 £17.26
-17.35%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$17.61 £13.16
-45.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,966 £1,469
-66.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$5,376 £4,016
227.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$89.0 £66.5
14.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$43.92 £32.81
1.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$81.8 £61.1
20.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$85.5 £63.9
44.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,262 £943
27.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$1,085 £811
9.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$2,027 £1,515
38.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,698 £1,268
18.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$5,289 £3,951
48.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$3,741 £2,795
22.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Swindon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,969 £2,218
-46.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.59
-31.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Swindon: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Swindon
$1.1K 8.8% $105
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Swindon
$343 25.9% $70
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Swindon
$309 27.2% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Swindon
$697 228% $484
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Swindon
$135 18.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Swindon
$69 8.9% $5.7
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Swindon
$131 107% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,262 in Swindon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Swindon pays 89% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $63 in Swindon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $343 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇬🇧 Swindon
🕒 Local time
04:02 4:02 AM
04:02 4:02 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
183,638
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Swindon 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Swindon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Swindon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Swindon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,768 in Swindon, so Lisbon is about 20% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Swindon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,262 in Swindon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Swindon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Swindon?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,768 in Swindon – Lisbon is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Swindon?
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.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Swindon?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Swindon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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