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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,418 in Upala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,305 in Upala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,192 in Upala.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 62% more expensive than in Upala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Upala 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$12.09 ₡5,375

45.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$55.9 ₡24.8K

12.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.76 ₡5,225

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.79 ₡1,686

-18.21%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.80 ₡801

38.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.83 ₡813

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.35 ₡1,487

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.47 ₡1,986

-23.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.25 ₡1,000

-48.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.70 ₡756

12.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.55 ₡1,133

-41.18%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.69 ₡1,196

47.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$3.30 ₡1,467

302.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$6.51 ₡2,895

23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$8.83 ₡3,925

104.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.74 ₡773

35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.69 ₡307

153.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.93 ₡1,304

-36.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.63 ₡1,169

-3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.71 ₡1,647

-50.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.65 ₡1,177

-20.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.09 ₡487

36.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.64 ₡1,172

-68.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.86 ₡2,603

21.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.74 ₡3,884

-32.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.70 ₡1,202

-51.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.71 ₡1,649

-42.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.23 ₡545

91.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.41 ₡1,072

69.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.64 ₡728

-30.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$6.76 ₡3,006

152.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.45 ₡642

59.31%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.9K ₡9.7M

56.15%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$35.2K ₡15.7M

17.43%

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

$169 €147

$56.1 ₡25.0K

200.23%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$37.05 ₡16.5K

-47.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$22.04 ₡9,794

52.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$75.4 ₡33.5K

-35.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.55 ₡3,799

11.93%

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

$696 €607

$987 ₡438.7K

-29.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$16.9K ₡7.5M

2.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$33.20 ₡14.8K

217.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$21.88 ₡9,725

118.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$132 ₡58.5K

-23.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$33.11 ₡14.7K

275.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$859 ₡382.0K

93.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$656 ₡291.8K

89.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,742 ₡774.4K

70.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,276 ₡567.2K

60.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.78

-56.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Upala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $859 in Upala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $56.0 in Upala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $258 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 62% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,418 including rent). Upala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $2,127 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $859 in Upala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,418 in Upala – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,418 in Upala versus $2,296 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 62% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.