Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Worcester Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Worcester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $892 in Worcester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,419 in Worcester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,946 in Worcester.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 150% more expensive than Worcester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Worcester is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$4.68 R 78.4

245.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$30.84 R 517

109.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$4.22 R 70.8

145.97%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.53 R 25.73

81.05%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.69 R 11.54

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.65 R 10.86

141.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.29 R 38.42

52.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.99 R 33.30

101.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.73 R 12.16

47.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.89 R 14.91

95.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.13 R 19.01

53.98%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.53 R 25.72

107.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.54 R 126

78.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$3.94 R 66.1

102.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$6.01 R 101

167.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.51 R 25.32

50.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.09 R 18.31

57.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.47 R 24.62

31.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.25 R 20.99

103.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.68 R 11.43

169.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.18 R 19.87

72.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.09 R 18.33

81.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.00 R 16.85

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.05 R 51.2

124.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$6.48 R 109

-10.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.04 R 17.40

31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.71 R 28.66

69.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.63 R 27.34

39.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.44 R 24.15

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.95 R 15.89

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$4.50 R 75.5

306.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.21 R 20.29

66.12%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$21.5K R 360.0K

64.29%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$24.4K R 408.5K

57.99%

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

$145 €124

$57.0 R 956

155.09%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$33.37 R 560

-37.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$28.04 R 470

42.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$30.74 R 515

58.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.75 R 113

34.22%

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

$607 €519

$213 R 3,575

184.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,295 R 88.8K

208.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$56.1 R 941

86.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$32.32 R 542

26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$113 R 1,896

-17.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$84.3 R 1,413

40.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$361 R 6,057

344.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$334 R 5,596

270.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$688 R 11.5K

342.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$690 R 11.6K

197.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$693 R 11.6K

1012.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$721 R 12.1K

491.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$965 R 16.2K

64.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.77

-67.63%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Worcester: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $361 in Worcester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 64% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in Worcester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $156 per month, with Worcester 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 Worcester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Worcester differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $892 including rent). Worcester is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 64% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $361 in Worcester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% 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 $892 in Worcester – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Worcester versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Worcester but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Worcester 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 Worcester 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 Worcester gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.