Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zepce Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zepce

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,008 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,530 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,053 in Zepce.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 119% more expensive than Zepce, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Zepce is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$8.64 BAM 14.51

84.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$41.42 BAM 69.6

56.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$9.03 BAM 15.17

16.39%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.57 BAM 2.64

82.80%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.94 BAM 3.25

15.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.15 BAM 1.94

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.10 BAM 3.53

66.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.78 BAM 4.66

39.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.34 BAM 2.26

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.27 BAM 2.14

37.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.56 BAM 2.63

12.82%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.00 BAM 5.04

7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.35 BAM 15.72

44.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.56 BAM 14.39

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$12.10 BAM 20.33

31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.43 BAM 2.40

61.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.63 BAM 2.74

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.94 BAM 3.26

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.02 BAM 3.39

21.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.20 BAM 2.02

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.27 BAM 2.13

57.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.22 BAM 2.05

58.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.77 BAM 1.29

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.77 BAM 6.33

75.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$8.24 BAM 13.85

-30.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.71 BAM 1.19

92.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.14 BAM 1.91

160.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.76 BAM 2.95

34.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$35.83 BAM 60.2

27.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.50 BAM 2.52

186.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-28.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$8.77 BAM 14.74

108.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.47 BAM 2.47

40.14%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.7K BAM 48.2K

19.49%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

48.99%

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

$148 €127

$169 BAM 284

-12.52%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$18.80 BAM 31.59

9.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$23.60 BAM 39.66

67.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$29.62 BAM 49.76

61.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$11.09 BAM 18.64

70.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$2.90 BAM 4.87

216.55%

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

$614 €528

$240 BAM 404

155.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$3,688 BAM 6,196

335.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$74.5 BAM 125

40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$37.25 BAM 62.6

12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$89.6 BAM 151

4.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$123 BAM 206

-2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$259 BAM 436

527.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$166 BAM 280

654.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$361 BAM 607

739.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$320 BAM 538

531.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$2,375 BAM 3,991

228.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,822 BAM 3,061

134.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.02

-24.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zepce: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $259 in Zepce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $41.00 in Zepce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $229 per month, with Zepce 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zepce differ by about 119% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,008 including rent). Zepce is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,512 in Zepce 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $259 in Zepce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $240 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,008 in Zepce versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zepce but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zepce 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 Zepce 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 Zepce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.