Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Torrevieja Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Torrevieja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,422 in Torrevieja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,124 in Torrevieja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,826 in Torrevieja.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 61% more expensive than in Torrevieja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Torrevieja 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$17.22 €15.07

-5.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$45.70 €39.99

38.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$11.38 €9.96

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.20 €1.93

28.64%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.86 €1.63

23.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.55 €1.36

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.49 €3.06

-2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.68 €2.34

50.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.12 €0.98

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.87 €1.63

-6.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.34 €1.17

31.34%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$13.13 €11.49

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.88 €6.02

15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$15.86 €13.88

-2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.25 €1.97

5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.63 €1.43

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.42 €1.25

41.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.13 €1.86

14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.12 €0.98

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.66 €1.45

22.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.30 €1.14

47.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.51 €0.45

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.16 €5.39

6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$4.58 €4.01

21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.90 €0.79

47.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.42 €1.24

109.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.83 €1.60

24.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$23.19 €20.29

97.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.48 €3.92

-5.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.24 €1.09

-34.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$34.45 €30.14

-46.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.73 €1.52

20.23%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$37.9K €33.2K

-8.50%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$35.8K €31.3K

9.36%

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

$148 €130

$107 €93.6

38.38%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$15.83 €13.85

29.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$23.65 €20.69

67.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$49.59 €43.39

-3.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$7.34 €6.42

153.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$11.66 €10.20

-20.93%

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

$616 €539

$425 €372

45.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,947 €6,078

136.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$50.8 €44.44

102.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$32.71 €28.62

27.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$74.6 €65.3

27.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$73.1 €63.9

67.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$645 €564

153.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$573 €501

115.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,237 €1,082

150.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$926 €810

119.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,919 €2,554

168.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$2,656 €2,323

65.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$1,948 €1,704

-17.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.5

8.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Torrevieja: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $645 in Torrevieja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torrevieja pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $46.00 in Torrevieja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $241 per month, with Torrevieja 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 Torrevieja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Torrevieja differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,422 including rent). Torrevieja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Torrevieja. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $645 in Torrevieja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $425 in Torrevieja. 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 $1,422 in Torrevieja versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Torrevieja but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Torrevieja 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 Torrevieja 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 Torrevieja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.