Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Toa Alta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Toa Alta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,293 in Toa Alta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,958 in Toa Alta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,623 in Toa Alta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 75% more expensive than Toa Alta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Toa Alta is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$13.25 $13.25

20.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$79.9 $79.9

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$9.75 $9.75

6.46%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.53 $3.53

-20.96%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.60 $1.60

46.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.38 $1.38

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.08 $3.08

11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.39 $4.39

-10.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.41 $2.41

-55.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.57 $3.57

-50.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.18 $2.18

-21.56%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$5.12 $5.12

-38.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$5.03 $5.03

171.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$8.70 $8.70

-7.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$6.33 $6.33

145.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$5.83 $5.83

-60.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.70 $2.70

-39.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$3.81 $3.81

-49.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$4.15 $4.15

-39.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$4.02 $4.02

-55.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.05 $3.05

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$3.02 $3.02

-34.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.93 $1.93

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$12.03 $12.03

-43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$14.77 $14.77

-61.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.54 $2.54

-45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.17 $3.17

-4.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.54 $1.54

-44.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$14.87 $14.87

22.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.01 $1.01

97.03%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$36.7K $36.7K

-4.51%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

50.88%

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

$146 €126

$401 $401

-63.55%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$80.3 $80.3

-74.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$59.7 $59.7

-34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$28.22 $28.22

73.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$7.44 $7.44

27.96%

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

$608 €524

$464 $464

30.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$10.2K $10.2K

61.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$45.60 $45.60

127.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$55.6 $55.6

-24.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$89.8 $89.8

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$104 $104

14.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,799 $1,799

69.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.78

-20.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Toa Alta: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $80.0 in Toa Alta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $350 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 Toa Alta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Toa Alta differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,293 including rent). Toa Alta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $1,939 in Toa Alta 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,293 in Toa Alta – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Toa Alta versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Toa Alta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Toa Alta 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 Toa Alta 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 Toa Alta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.