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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $870 in Worcester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,381 in Worcester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,893 in Worcester.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 160% more expensive than Worcester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Worcester is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$4.87 R 78.8

227.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$31.29 R 506

102.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.18 R 67.5

148.33%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.54 R 24.88

81.17%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.64 R 10.38

265.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.59 R 9.53

166.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.29 R 36.98

49.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$1.91 R 30.83

104.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.74 R 11.94

45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.96 R 15.46

84.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.15 R 18.56

48.70%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.61 R 25.99

95.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$7.49 R 121

82.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.02 R 65.0

99.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$6.01 R 97.1

158.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.50 R 24.33

52.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.10 R 17.79

49.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.51 R 24.46

28.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.21 R 19.49

107.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.65 R 10.57

175.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.24 R 20.03

62.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.09 R 17.69

80.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.93 R 15.11

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.01 R 48.59

125.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$6.12 R 99.0

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.03 R 16.72

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.69 R 27.37

78.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.61 R 26.03

40.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.36 R 22.07

215.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.93 R 15.11

-8.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$4.56 R 73.7

300.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.21 R 19.54

64.46%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$21.1K R 340.6K

66.30%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$24.2K R 391.0K

63.51%

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

$146 €126

$56.2 R 908

160.29%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$33.11 R 535

-38.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$28.27 R 457

37.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$30.43 R 492

60.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.75 R 109

41.04%

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

$608 €524

$216 R 3,488

181.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$5,324 R 86.1K

210.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$54.0 R 873

92.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$33.43 R 540

25.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$112 R 1,803

-17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$83.8 R 1,354

43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$359 R 5,808

351.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$330 R 5,333

284.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$684 R 11.1K

345.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$695 R 11.2K

189.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$790 R 12.8K

869.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$766 R 12.4K

465.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$978 R 15.8K

62.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Worcester: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $359 in Worcester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 62% 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 $31.00 in Worcester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 160% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $870 including rent). Worcester is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 62% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $359 in Worcester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $870 in Worcester – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $870 in Worcester versus $2,263 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 160% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.