Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tarxien

For one person, living is cheaper in Tarxien: $1,952 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Tarxien, Malta
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Tarxien
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Tarxien

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 Tarxien actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,952 in Tarxien.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Tarxien $1,952

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,102 in Tarxien.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Tarxien $3,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,253 in Tarxien.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Tarxien $4,253

Living in Lisbon is roughly 13% more expensive than in Tarxien, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Tarxien 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$22.69 €20.38
-26.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$89.9 €80.7
-31.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$13.30 €11.94
-14.59%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$3.26 €2.93
-8.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$2.36 €2.12
-2.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.92 €1.72
-9.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$5.53 €4.96
-38.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$6.54 €5.87
-49.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.30 €1.17
-10.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.41 €1.27
35.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.44 €3.09
-56.10%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$4.42 €3.97
-9.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$10.21 €9.17
26.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$11.95 €10.73
-34.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$18.07 €16.23
-1.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$3.73 €3.35
-38.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$2.67 €2.39
-35.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$3.98 €3.58
-53.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$3.83 €3.44
-32.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.91 €1.71
-4.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$3.28 €2.95
-39.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.23 €2.00
-34.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.50 €1.35
-52.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$6.29 €5.65
4.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$6.10 €5.48
-8.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.48 €2.22
-45.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.27 €2.04
-5.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$2.11 €1.89
10.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$3.87 €3.48
-0.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.77 €1.59
-39.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$32.80 €29.46
-49.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.47 €1.32
49.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$28.3K €25.4K
20.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$39.4K €35.4K
-1.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$155 €139
4.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$30.62 €27.51
-39.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$29.10 €26.14
12.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$65.3 €58.7
-31.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$11.38 €10.22
-15.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$273 €245
144.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$12.1K €10.8K
45.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$57.2 €51.4
78.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$67.5 €60.7
-34.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$114 €102
-13.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$128 €115
-3.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$1,136 €1,020
41.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$804 €722
48.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,707 €1,534
64.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$1,516 €1,362
32.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$4,169 €3,745
88.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$3,223 €2,896
41.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Tarxien
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.05
-4.94%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tarxien: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Tarxien
$804 32.5% $386
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Tarxien
$341 25.3% $69
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Tarxien
$318 31.2% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Tarxien
$214 1% $2.1
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Tarxien
$165 0.6% $1
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Tarxien
$88 38.2% $24
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Tarxien
$21 * 66.5% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,136 in Tarxien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $90 in Tarxien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $341 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇹 Tarxien
🕒 Local time
22:12 10:12 PM
23:12 11:12 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
8,600
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Tarxien 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Tarxien

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 Tarxien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Tarxien?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,952 in Tarxien, so Tarxien is about 12% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Tarxien?
You’d need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $2,928 in Tarxien to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Tarxien?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,136 in Tarxien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Tarxien?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,952 in Tarxien – Tarxien is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Tarxien?
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.
Is Lisbon or Tarxien safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Tarxien are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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