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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,301 in Upala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,990 in Upala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,679 in Upala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 71% more expensive than Upala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Upala is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$11.09 ₡5,044

45.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$49.92 ₡22.7K

29.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.81 ₡4,462

5.81%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.40 ₡1,545

-18.53%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.56 ₡709

44.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.55 ₡706

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$3.04 ₡1,384

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.62 ₡2,100

-13.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.02 ₡920

-46.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.53 ₡696

13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.22 ₡1,010

-21.62%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.43 ₡1,105

30.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$2.94 ₡1,338

356.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.08 ₡2,765

31.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.13 ₡3,695

97.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.58 ₡717

44.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.62 ₡283

177.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.52 ₡1,148

-23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.34 ₡1,063

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.42 ₡1,554

-46.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.35 ₡1,069

-13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.01 ₡461

96.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.42 ₡1,101

-64.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.24 ₡2,384

30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$8.72 ₡3,967

-33.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.40 ₡1,092

-42.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.95 ₡1,341

-1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.02 ₡464

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.81 ₡822

125.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.84 ₡839

-55.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.06 ₡2,757

201.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.29 ₡589

55.81%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$38.5K ₡17.5M

-8.43%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$32.4K ₡14.7M

18.94%

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

$145 €124

$51.7 ₡23.5K

181.24%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$26.32 ₡12.0K

-20.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$19.86 ₡9,032

101.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-15.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.81 ₡10.8K

-21.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$10.06 ₡4,575

-9.94%

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

$607 €519

$578 ₡262.8K

4.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

30.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$29.81 ₡13.6K

251.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$19.84 ₡9,020

106.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$128 ₡58.1K

-26.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$30.04 ₡13.7K

294.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$765 ₡347.9K

109.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$598 ₡272.0K

106.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,519 ₡690.7K

100.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$956 ₡434.7K

115.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Upala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $765 in Upala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $50.0 in Upala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $235 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 71% in total monthly costs ($2,227 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 $3,341 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: $1,604 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 $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,301 in Upala – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,301 in Upala versus $2,227 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 71% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.