Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zamboanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zamboanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $765 in Zamboanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $1,098 in Zamboanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,431 in Zamboanga.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 190% more expensive than in Zamboanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Zamboanga is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$1.50 ₱90.8

952.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$9.58 ₱580

551.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$2.68 ₱162

293.28%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$1.74 ₱105

59.20%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$0.91 ₱55.2

150.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.42 ₱25.21

269.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$1.27 ₱76.8

179.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.69 ₱102

135.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.03 ₱123

-46.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.65 ₱99.9

7.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.25 ₱75.6

41.60%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$1.69 ₱102

84.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$11.33 ₱686

17.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$4.59 ₱278

74.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$3.56 ₱216

347.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.37 ₱204

-32.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.36 ₱82.5

20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.35 ₱263

-54.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.59 ₱157

-5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.39 ₱84.0

27.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.87 ₱174

-31.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.96 ₱58.4

105.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.57 ₱34.50

40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$3.01 ₱182

117.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$4.40 ₱267

30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.41 ₱85.4

-6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$2.26 ₱137

32.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$0.22 ₱13.24

963.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$0.92 ₱55.9

363.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$0.22 ₱13.29

281.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$2.14 ₱130

781.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.25 ₱75.8

65.60%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$26.5K ₱1.6M

32.75%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$20.5K ₱1.2M

88.18%

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

$151 €132

$163 ₱9,897

-7.55%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$47.84 ₱2,897

-56.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$52.7 ₱3,193

-25.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$39.91 ₱2,416

21.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

$4.56 ₱276

308.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$7.24 ₱438

24.86%

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

$610 €532

$52.6 ₱3,184

1060.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$1,251 ₱75.7K

1201.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$24.66 ₱1,493

310.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$26.09 ₱1,580

55.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$89.9 ₱5,444

3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$63.0 ₱3,812

88.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$140 ₱8,505

1040.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$71.5 ₱4,330

1631.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$369 ₱22.3K

718.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$142 ₱8,602

1350.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$2,574 ₱155.9K

210.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$896 ₱54.3K

405.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$200 ₱12.1K

714.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-68.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $140 in Zamboanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 715% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $10.00 in Zamboanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $212 per month, with Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zamboanga differ by about 190% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $765 including rent). Zamboanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 715% 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $140 in Zamboanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $765 in Zamboanga – a 190% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $765 in Zamboanga versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zamboanga but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.