Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Valletta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Valletta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,374 in Valletta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,703 in Valletta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $5,033 in Valletta.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 3% less than in Valletta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Valletta 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.23

$23.14 €20.03

-23.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.4

$91.9 €79.5

-31.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.03

$14.14 €12.24

-18.10%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.68

$3.21 €2.78

-3.43%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.49 €2.16

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$2.00 €1.73

-13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.01

$5.72 €4.95

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$6.91 €5.98

-50.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.40 €1.21

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.50 €1.30

27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$3.57 €3.09

-57.98%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$4.61 €3.99

-13.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.51

$10.81 €9.35

22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$12.18 €10.54

-34.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.62

$18.46 €15.98

-2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$3.89 €3.37

-39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.76 €2.39

-36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$4.04 €3.49

-54.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$3.78 €3.27

-32.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.98 €1.72

-7.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$3.40 €2.94

-38.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.37 €2.05

-37.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.60 €1.39

-48.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$6.36 €5.50

11.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.11

$6.23 €5.40

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$2.56 €2.22

-48.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.44 €2.11

-12.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$2.84 €2.46

-16.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$4.07 €3.52

0.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.83 €1.59

-37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.80

$33.45 €28.96

-48.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.53 €1.33

50.98%

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

$34.1K €29.5K

$28.8K €25.0K

18.32%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$40.2K €34.8K

2.91%

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

$169 €146

$157 €136

7.18%

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

$19.33 €16.74

$32.50 €28.13

-40.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.01

$29.78 €25.78

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.28

$60.9 €52.7

-19.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.82

$21.11 €18.28

-7.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.28

$11.92 €10.32

-19.71%

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

$696 €602

$292 €252

138.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$12.9K €11.2K

34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.2

$76.2 €66.0

38.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.34

$64.5 €55.8

-25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.0

$115 €99.5

-12.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$133 €115

-6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,439

$1,462 €1,265

13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,079

$1,129 €978

10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,566

$3,343 €2,894

-11.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,773

$2,119 €1,835

-3.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,782

$5,451 €4,719

43.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,865

$4,086 €3,537

9.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,412

$2,086 €1,806

-21.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.05

-6.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Valletta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,462 in Valletta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valletta pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $92.0 in Valletta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $353 per month, with Lisbon 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 Valletta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Valletta differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $2,374 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Valletta. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,462 in Valletta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Valletta. 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 $2,374 in Valletta – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,374 in Valletta, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Valletta. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Valletta 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Valletta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.