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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $703 in Worcester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,551 in Worcester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,400 in Worcester.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 227% more expensive than in Worcester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Worcester is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$5.32 R 86.5

230.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$34.26 R 557

83.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$4.63 R 75.2

150.11%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.61 R 26.25

92.55%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.76 R 12.38

227.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.74 R 12.04

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.44 R 39.69

42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.11 R 34.25

63.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.88 R 14.36

30.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.99 R 16.15

92.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.20 R 19.58

25.00%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.76 R 28.56

126.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$9.13 R 148

45.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$7.02 R 114

14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$5.40 R 87.7

234.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.85 R 30.13

27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.94 R 31.48

-9.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.75 R 28.51

5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.15 R 35.02

18.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.76 R 12.30

142.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.58 R 25.66

32.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.33 R 21.57

12.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.21 R 19.70

-32.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$3.73 R 60.6

90.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$6.19 R 101

-4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.19 R 19.34

10.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.18 R 35.42

-2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.64 R 10.47

537.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.51 R 24.56

-24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$5.22 R 84.9

227.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.56 R 25.28

48.08%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$35.9K R 584.1K

-5.02%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$32.3K R 525.6K

27.96%

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

$169 €147

$119 R 1,942

41.09%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$30.51 R 496

-36.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$40.24 R 654

-16.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$52.8 R 858

-7.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

$12.06 R 196

61.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$9.46 R 154

1.16%

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

$696 €606

$267 R 4,343

160.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$6,697 R 108.9K

159.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$58.9 R 958

78.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$33.05 R 537

44.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$121 R 1,969

-17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$108 R 1,755

15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$396 R 6,436

319.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$809 R 13.2K

266.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$914 R 14.9K

124.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$990 R 16.1K

64.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

11.02

-65.70%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Worcester: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $396 in Worcester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 65% 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 $34.00 in Worcester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $196 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 227% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $703 including rent). Worcester is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $396 in Worcester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% 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 $703 in Worcester – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $703 in Worcester versus $2,296 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 227% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.