Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Torremolinos

For one person, living is cheaper in Torremolinos: $1,558 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Torremolinos, Spain
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Torremolinos
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,558
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Torremolinos

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,558 in Torremolinos.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Torremolinos $1,558

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,326 in Torremolinos.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Torremolinos $2,326

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,093 in Torremolinos.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Torremolinos $3,093

Living in Lisbon is roughly 42% more expensive than in Torremolinos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Torremolinos 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$14.36 €12.87
15.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$68.5 €61.4
-9.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$11.16 €10.00
1.79%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.02 €1.81
47.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.06 €1.85
11.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.55 €1.39
12.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$3.32 €2.98
2.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$3.96 €3.55
-16.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.10 €0.98
5.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.45 €1.30
31.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.51 €1.35
-
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.25 €2.92
23.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$13.42 €12.02
-3.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$7.70 €6.90
0.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$15.16 €13.59
17.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.41 €2.16
-4.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.96 €1.75
-11.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.70 €1.53
9.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.45 €2.19
5.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.58 €1.41
15.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.04 €1.83
-3.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.24 €1.11
18.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.71 €0.63
1.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.69 €6.00
-1.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$5.89 €5.28
-4.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.15 €1.03
18.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.92 €1.72
11.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.65 €1.47
41.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$33.16 €29.71
34.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.67 €1.50
130.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.10 €0.98
-2.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$14.70 €13.17
11.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.75 €1.57
25.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$32.8K €29.4K
4.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$31.0K €27.8K
24.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$118 €105
37.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$10.73 €9.61
71.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$24.79 €22.21
32.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$45.12 €40.44
-1.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$15.56 €13.94
22.75%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$7.88 €7.06
21.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$546 €489
22.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$8,057 €7,219
118.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$90.2 €80.9
13.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$38.49 €34.49
15.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$83.0 €74.4
18.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$107 €96.0
15.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$871 €780
84.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$687 €615
73.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,352 €1,211
108.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$999 €895
101.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$3,304 €2,960
137.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$2,192 €1,964
108.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Torremolinos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,159 €1,935
-27.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.29
17.02%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Torremolinos: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Torremolinos
$687 42.3% $503
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Torremolinos
$255 6.3% $17
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Torremolinos
$212 12.8% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Torremolinos
$153 27.9% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Torremolinos
$144 13.5% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Torremolinos
$61 4.5% $2.9
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Torremolinos
$47 25.8% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $871 in Torremolinos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torremolinos pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $69 in Torremolinos. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $255, with Torremolinos cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇪🇸 Torremolinos
🕒 Local time
00:50 12:50 AM
01:50 1:50 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
70,434
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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  • Lisbon Torremolinos 470 km
From you
  • Lisbon
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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 Torremolinos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Torremolinos?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,558 in Torremolinos, so Torremolinos is about 30% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Torremolinos?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $871 in Torremolinos. 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 Torremolinos?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $546 in Torremolinos. 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 7% 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 $1,558 in Torremolinos versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Torremolinos but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Torremolinos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Torremolinos?
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 Torremolinos safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Torremolinos are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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