Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tomar

For one person, living is cheaper in Tomar: $1,295 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Tomar
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,295
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Tomar

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $1,295 in Tomar.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Tomar $1,295

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $1,821 in Tomar.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Tomar $1,821

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $2,347 in Tomar.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Tomar $2,347

Living in Lisbon is roughly 72% more expensive than in Tomar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Tomar is 4% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$13.37 €11.89
23.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$37.89 €33.71
61.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$8.69 €7.73
29.69%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$1.88 €1.67
62.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.79 €1.59
26.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.42 €1.27
21.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$2.26 €2.01
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.51 €2.24
35.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.08 €0.96
3.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.77 €1.57
5.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.41 €1.25
8.51%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$2.72 €2.42
45.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$12.80 €11.39
-0.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$6.50 €5.78
21.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$14.31 €12.73
18.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.91 €1.69
18.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.41 €1.26
24.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.84 €1.64
0.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$2.51 €2.23
2.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.83 €1.63
1.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.14 €1.01
77.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.53 €1.36
-5.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.14 €1.01
-28.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$6.88 €6.12
-4.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$4.56 €4.05
23.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.34 €1.20
-4.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$2.21 €1.96
-6.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.01 €1.79
16.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$37.43 €33.29
18.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$4.34 €3.86
-8.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.49 €1.33
-26.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$20.77 €18.48
-19.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.82 €1.62
25.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$31.9K €28.3K
5.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$38.0K €33.8K
3.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$106 €94.5
57.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$17.23 €15.33
9.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$42.90 €38.16
-22.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$41.15 €36.61
11.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$17.73 €15.77
8.23%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$9.16 €8.15
7.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$311 €277
117.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$6,305 €5,608
168.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$66.3 €59.0
52.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$35.12 €31.24
30.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$74.5 €66.3
34.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$90.3 €80.3
35.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$757 €673
113.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$463 €412
158.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$907 €807
215.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$502 €447
296.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$3,038 €2,702
149.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$2,257 €2,008
90.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Tomar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,077 €958
47.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.7
4.05%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tomar: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Tomar
$463 61.3% $734
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Tomar
$245 9.2% $25
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Tomar
$185 23.7% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Tomar
$166 24.2% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Tomar
$120 28% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Tomar
$59 9.5% $6.2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Tomar
$57 9.1% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $757 in Tomar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 47% 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: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Tomar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $245 per month, with Tomar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇹 Tomar
🕒 Local time
03:39 3:39 AM
03:39 3:39 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
36,414
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lisbon vs Tomar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Tomar?
Lisbon and Tomar differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $1,295 including rent). Tomar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Tomar?
Average pay runs 47% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Tomar?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $757 in Tomar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Tomar?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $311 in Tomar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,295 in Tomar versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tomar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Tomar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Tomar?
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 Tomar safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Tomar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Tomar?
Expats usually find Tomar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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