Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zebbug Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zebbug

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,041 in Zebbug.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,996 in Zebbug.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,950 in Zebbug.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 12% more expensive than in Zebbug, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Zebbug 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$20.41 €17.87

-20.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$70.0 €61.3

-9.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$7.60 €6.66

35.79%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.73 €2.39

3.66%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.24 €1.97

2.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.15 €1.00

37.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$4.52 €3.96

-24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.00 €4.38

-19.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.32 €1.16

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.56 €1.37

12.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.56 €3.12

-50.56%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.79 €3.32

-16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$9.90 €8.67

33.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$10.70 €9.37

-25.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$13.77 €12.06

12.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.35 €2.93

-29.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.00 €1.75

-14.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.76 €2.42

-27.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.28 €2.87

-25.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.79 €1.57

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.86 €2.51

-29.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.91 €1.67

0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.25 €1.09

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.31 €5.53

4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.03 €5.28

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.27 €1.98

-41.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.77 €1.55

67.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.56 €2.24

-10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$8.30 €7.27

-49.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.87 €1.64

-56.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$34.52 €30.24

-46.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.59 €1.39

30.82%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$26.2K €23.0K

32.24%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$41.4K €36.3K

-5.40%

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

$148 €130

$169 €148

-12.24%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$30.01 €26.29

-31.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$32.95 €28.86

20.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$63.2 €55.3

-24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$22.74 €19.92

-18.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$15.04 €13.17

-38.70%

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

$616 €540

$263 €230

134.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$12.7K €11.2K

29.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$103 €90.1

-0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$38.34 €33.58

8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$145 €127

-34.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$99.7 €87.3

22.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,148 €1,005

42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$946 €829

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,972 €1,727

57.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,505 €1,318

34.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,939 €3,450

98.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$3,088 €2,704

42.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.43

-29.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zebbug: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,148 in Zebbug. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $70.0 in Zebbug for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $299 per month, with Lisbon 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 Zebbug: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zebbug differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,041 including rent). Zebbug is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $3,062 in Zebbug to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,148 in Zebbug. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $2,041 in Zebbug – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,041 in Zebbug versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Zebbug but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zebbug 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 Zebbug 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 Zebbug gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.