Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tomar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tomar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,350 in Tomar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,917 in Tomar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,485 in Tomar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 72% more expensive than in Tomar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Tomar is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$13.98 €12.06

23.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$39.36 €33.96

60.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$9.04 €7.80

26.00%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.95 €1.69

63.59%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$1.90 €1.64

28.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.40 €1.21

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$2.36 €2.04

52.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$2.75 €2.37

23.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.11 €0.96

11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.86 €1.61

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.52 €1.32

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$2.87 €2.48

40.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$13.73 €11.84

-1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$7.01 €6.05

19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$15.01 €12.95

21.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.04 €1.76

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.42 €1.22

22.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.94 €1.68

-4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.57 €2.22

2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.19 €1.03

61.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.17 €1.01

78.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.59 €1.37

-9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.12 €0.97

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$7.15 €6.17

-5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$4.75 €4.10

20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.41 €1.22

-2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.31 €1.99

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.11 €1.82

13.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$41.97 €36.22

11.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$4.75 €4.10

-12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.49 €1.29

-23.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$22.42 €19.35

-21.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.93 €1.66

20.21%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$33.9K €29.3K

4.16%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$39.8K €34.3K

4.16%

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

$170 €147

$109 €94.0

56.31%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$18.59 €16.04

4.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$44.92 €38.76

-25.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$41.45 €35.76

16.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$9.16 €7.91

8.30%

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

$717 €619

$324 €279

121.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$6,617 €5,710

164.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$70.2 €60.6

49.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$36.80 €31.76

27.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$80.0 €69.1

29.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$94.7 €81.7

30.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$785 €677

113.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$493 €426

157.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$917 €791

225.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$520 €449

282.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$3,152 €2,720

148.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$2,328 €2,009

100.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$1,102 €951

43.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.64

4.12%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tomar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $785 in Tomar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 44% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Tomar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $255 per month, with Tomar 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 Tomar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Tomar differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,350 including rent). Tomar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $785 in Tomar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $324 in Tomar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,350 in Tomar versus $2,316 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.

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 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.

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.