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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,301 in Upala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,959 in Upala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $2,616 in Upala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 75% more expensive than in Upala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Upala is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$10.83 ₡4,855

45.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$49.12 ₡22.0K

29.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$9.68 ₡4,340

7.95%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.29 ₡1,474

-11.55%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.62 ₡725

41.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.56 ₡698

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$3.01 ₡1,349

18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.74 ₡2,126

-16.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.95 ₡876

-44.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.52 ₡682

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.18 ₡977

-22.02%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.38 ₡1,066

36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$3.00 ₡1,347

341.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$5.89 ₡2,639

30.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$7.84 ₡3,517

101.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.57 ₡705

45.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.62 ₡278

167.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.62 ₡1,174

-22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.41 ₡1,081

2.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$3.34 ₡1,500

-46.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.46 ₡1,101

-15.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.01 ₡452

95.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$2.34 ₡1,049

-64.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.31 ₡2,379

23.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$8.86 ₡3,974

-37.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.43 ₡1,091

-45.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.81 ₡1,259

7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.95 ₡425

138.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.81 ₡809

133.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.84 ₡823

-53.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$6.01 ₡2,696

213.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.26 ₡563

60.32%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$37.4K ₡16.8M

-6.58%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$32.0K ₡14.4M

23.69%

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

$148 €128

$49.91 ₡22.4K

196.39%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$25.62 ₡11.5K

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$19.71 ₡8,837

100.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$56.4 ₡25.3K

-14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$23.90 ₡10.7K

-23.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$9.80 ₡4,394

-7.14%

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

$615 €532

$571 ₡256.1K

7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$12.6K ₡5.7M

28.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$29.49 ₡13.2K

244.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$19.99 ₡8,964

110.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$126 ₡56.5K

-26.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$30.27 ₡13.6K

303.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$765 ₡342.9K

110.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$603 ₡270.5K

107.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,515 ₡679.2K

102.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$979 ₡439.1K

107.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Upala: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $765 in Upala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $49.00 in Upala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $232 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 75% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,301 including rent). Upala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $1,951 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $765 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 $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,301 in Upala – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,301 in Upala versus $2,280 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 75% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.