Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tongi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tongi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $318 in Tongi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $525 in Tongi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $733 in Tongi.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 611% more expensive than Tongi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Tongi is 76% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.94 €13.73
$1.66 ৳204
860.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.4 €54.6
$9.91 ৳1,215
539.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 €8.95
$4.99 ৳612
108.02%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.17 ৳511
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.74 ৳581
-
Cappuccino
$2.79 €2.40
$1.43 ৳175
95.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.01
$0.31 ৳38.49
654.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 €1.35
$0.17 ৳20.62
823.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €2.95
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.37
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 €0.93
$0.67 ৳82.1
61.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 €1.52
$0.55 ৳67.6
221.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 €1.47
$0.57 ৳70.1
200.00%
Eggs
$3.15 €2.71
$1.15 ৳142
173.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.68 €11.79
$6.71 ৳822
103.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.01 €6.90
$2.46 ৳302
225.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.52 €13.37
$5.32 ৳652
191.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 €1.98
$2.23 ৳273
2.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 €1.41
$0.96 ৳117
70.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 €1.67
$2.03 ৳249
-4.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.17
$0.62 ৳76.5
304.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 €1.54
$0.26 ৳31.45
588.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 €1.73
$0.41 ৳49.64
390.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 €1.69
$0.32 ৳39.81
515.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.73
$0.28 ৳34.63
200.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$8.53 ৳1,045
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.23 ৳273
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.99 ৳612
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.85
$2.85 ৳349
138.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €4.89
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.20
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 €2.60
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.27 €1.95
$0.22 ৳26.97
931.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.44 €39.15
$10.16 ৳1,246
347.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 €3.70
$0.79 ৳96.6
443.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 €0.73
$0.40 ৳48.71
112.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.28 €15.75
$2.07 ৳253
783.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.71
$1.00 ৳122
99.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K €30.2K
$29.0K ৳3.6M
20.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K €34.1K
$27.7K ৳3.4M
42.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 €126
$29.76 ৳3,647
391.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.45 €17.62
$4.86 ৳595
320.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.98 €33.58
$8.92 ৳1,093
337.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.98 €42.21
$13.55 ৳1,660
261.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.83 €16.22
$11.97 ৳1,467
57.31%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 €8.21
$4.07 ৳499
133.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$608 €524
$27.02 ৳3,311
2150.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.2K
$934 ৳114.5K
1667.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €89.5
$16.26 ৳1,992
538.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.12 €36.29
$18.03 ৳2,210
133.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 €79.5
$32.62 ৳3,998
182.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €103
$36.70 ৳4,498
227.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 €1,397
$68.4 ৳8,381
2270.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,268 €1,092
$42.21 ৳5,173
2903.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,048 €2,626
$164 ৳20.1K
1759.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,009 €1,731
$96.6 ৳11.8K
1978.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,663 €6,602
$848 ৳103.9K
803.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,329 €3,730
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Tongi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,585 €1,366
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
10.29
-62.97%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tongi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $68.4 in Tongi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $10.00 in Tongi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $102 per month, with Tongi 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 Tongi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Tongi?
Lisbon and Tongi differ by about 611% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $318 including rent). Tongi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Tongi?
You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $477 in Tongi 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 Tongi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $68.4 in Tongi. 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 Tongi?
Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $27.02 in Tongi. 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 164% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $318 in Tongi versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tongi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Tongi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Tongi?
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 Tongi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Tongi 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 Tongi?
Expats usually find Tongi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 611% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities