Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Upala Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Upala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $1,324 in Upala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $1,967 in Upala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $2,610 in Upala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 67% more expensive than Upala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Upala is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$10.97 ₡4,951

43.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$48.79 ₡22.0K

28.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$9.75 ₡4,399

8.10%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$3.43 ₡1,546

-19.24%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$1.63 ₡734

39.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.61 ₡725

-3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.92 ₡1,316

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$4.54 ₡2,050

-12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.00 ₡903

-46.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.53 ₡689

15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.21 ₡998

-19.91%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.44 ₡1,103

27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$2.91 ₡1,313

358.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$6.11 ₡2,756

30.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$7.92 ₡3,574

101.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.54 ₡696

48.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$0.61 ₡276

168.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.58 ₡1,164

-23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.34 ₡1,056

4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.33 ₡1,504

-46.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.41 ₡1,089

-18.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.95 ₡428

107.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.35 ₡1,060

-65.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.23 ₡2,358

25.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$8.98 ₡4,053

-35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$2.40 ₡1,083

-45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.89 ₡1,302

3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$0.95 ₡427

146.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$1.86 ₡839

129.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.83 ₡827

-54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$6.15 ₡2,773

206.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.24 ₡561

66.94%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$37.3K ₡16.8M

-5.59%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$33.0K ₡14.9M

17.11%

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

$151 €130

$50.2 ₡22.7K

200.82%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$25.60 ₡11.6K

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$20.19 ₡9,110

95.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$57.5 ₡26.0K

-15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$23.83 ₡10.8K

-21.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$9.93 ₡4,480

-8.96%

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

$610 €525

$573 ₡258.4K

6.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.8K ₡5.8M

26.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$30.42 ₡13.7K

232.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$19.59 ₡8,836

107.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$124 ₡56.1K

-25.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$29.42 ₡13.3K

303.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$768 ₡346.6K

108.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$587 ₡265.0K

110.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$1,524 ₡687.3K

98.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$977 ₡440.5K

111.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Upala: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $768 in Upala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $49.00 in Upala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $233 per month, with Upala 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 Upala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Upala differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $1,324 including rent). Upala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $1,986 in Upala 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $768 in Upala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $1,324 in Upala – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,324 in Upala versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Upala but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Upala 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 Upala 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 Upala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.