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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $755 in Zamboanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,095 in Zamboanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,435 in Zamboanga.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 202% more expensive than in Zamboanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Zamboanga is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$1.52 ₱93.1

936.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$9.65 ₱591

557.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$2.72 ₱166

284.19%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$1.81 ₱111

60.77%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.94 ₱57.8

143.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.45 ₱27.34

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.23 ₱75.2

189.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$1.70 ₱104

132.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.02 ₱124

-46.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.63 ₱100.0

7.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.28 ₱78.6

32.81%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.70 ₱104

91.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$11.16 ₱683

18.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.52 ₱277

70.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$3.70 ₱227

326.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.44 ₱210

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.35 ₱82.7

22.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$4.22 ₱258

-52.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.71 ₱166

-8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.35 ₱82.4

32.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.75 ₱168

-24.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.91 ₱55.6

116.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.53 ₱32.56

56.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$3.12 ₱191

109.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$4.18 ₱256

33.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.40 ₱85.6

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.22 ₱136

35.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.22 ₱13.46

931.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.86 ₱52.5

391.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.22 ₱13.43

286.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$2.16 ₱132

771.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.27 ₱77.7

59.06%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

29.72%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

95.27%

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

$148 €128

$162 ₱9,946

-8.95%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$48.37 ₱2,961

-57.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$53.3 ₱3,263

-25.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$39.65 ₱2,427

21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$4.52 ₱277

306.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.98 ₱428

30.37%

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

$615 €532

$53.1 ₱3,247

1058.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$1,258 ₱77.0K

1194.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$24.38 ₱1,492

316.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$26.48 ₱1,621

58.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$87.2 ₱5,340

5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$62.6 ₱3,830

95.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$140 ₱8,563

1052.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$69.5 ₱4,254

1704.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$372 ₱22.8K

725.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$141 ₱8,639

1343.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$2,694 ₱164.9K

187.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,031 ₱63.1K

315.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$196 ₱12.0K

715.37%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $10.00 in Zamboanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $211 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 202% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $755 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: $1,612 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 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $755 in Zamboanga – a 202% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $755 in Zamboanga versus $2,280 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 202% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.