Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Luqa and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Luqa: $1,845 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Luqa, Malta
Lisbon, Portugal
Luqa
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,845
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Luqa and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Luqa and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,845 in Luqa versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Luqa $1,845
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,902 in Luqa versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Luqa $2,902
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,960 in Luqa versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Luqa $3,960
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Luqa costs roughly 17% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Luqa 36% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.96 €17.81
$16.65 €14.85
19.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.9 €89.1
$61.7 €55.1
61.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 €9.65
$11.36 €10.13
-4.84%
Cappuccino
$3.40 €3.03
$2.97 €2.65
14.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 €2.58
$2.29 €2.04
26.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.74 €1.55
13.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.54 €4.05
$3.40 €3.04
33.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 €3.81
$3.31 €2.95
29.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 €1.02
$1.16 €1.03
-1.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.91 €1.71
-39.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 €2.83
$1.51 €1.35
109.93%
Eggs
$3.93 €3.51
$4.02 €3.59
-2.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.31 €11.87
$12.94 €11.54
2.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.92 €8.85
$7.77 €6.94
27.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.81 €14.10
$17.76 €15.85
-10.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.74 €2.44
$2.30 €2.06
19.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.73 €1.55
13.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 €2.66
$1.86 €1.66
60.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 €3.32
$2.59 €2.31
43.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 €1.60
$1.82 €1.62
-1.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.97 €1.76
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.47 €1.31
31.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.80
$0.72 €0.65
23.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84 €6.10
$6.58 €5.87
3.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.17 €6.40
$5.61 €5.00
27.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.36 €1.22
10.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.14 €1.91
5.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.33 €2.08
-6.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.44 €12.89
$44.68 €39.86
-67.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.52 €4.03
$3.85 €3.43
17.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.07 €0.95
53.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.01 €34.81
$16.46 €14.69
137.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 €1.30
$2.20 €1.96
-33.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K €22.2K
$34.2K €30.5K
-27.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K €35.2K
$38.7K €34.5K
1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.9 €66.8
$161 €144
-53.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.83 €31.96
$18.41 €16.43
94.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.44 €29.83
$32.74 €29.21
2.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.2 €47.49
$44.55 €39.74
19.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$55.2 €49.23
$19.10 €17.04
188.85%
Cinema Ticket
$11.10 €9.91
$9.60 €8.56
15.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$611 €545
$668 €596
-8.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.6K €12.1K
$17.6K €15.7K
-22.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$145 €129
$102 €91.0
42.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.0 €49.04
$44.46 €39.67
23.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 €76.0
$98.5 €87.9
-13.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €121
$124 €110
9.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$811 €724
$1,608 €1,435
-49.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$819 €731
$1,190 €1,062
-31.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,284 €1,146
$2,812 €2,509
-54.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,298 €1,158
$2,013 €1,796
-35.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,945 €2,627
$7,839 €6,994
-62.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,120 €2,784
$4,576 €4,082
-31.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luqa
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,456 €1,299
$1,575 €1,405
-7.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.22
3.85
-16.36%

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

Last update for Luqa: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Luqa
$819
Lisbon
$1.2K 45.3% $371
Groceries & Markets
Luqa
$299
Lisbon
$272 8.8% $26
Eating Out
Luqa
$284
Lisbon
$243 14.4% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Luqa
$189
Lisbon
$166 12.3% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luqa
$144
Lisbon
$212 47.3% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Luqa
$75
Lisbon
$64 15.5% $12
Getting Around
Luqa
$36
Lisbon
$63 76% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $811 in Luqa and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 8% 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: $100 in Luqa vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Luqa
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
19:15 7:15 PM
18:15 6:15 PM
1 h behind Luqa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,900
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Luqa Lisbon 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Luqa
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Luqa vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Luqa and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,845 in Luqa and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Luqa is about 17% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Luqa. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Luqa and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $811 in Luqa versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Luqa and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $611 in Luqa versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How does quality of life compare between Luqa and Lisbon?
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.
Is Luqa or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Luqa and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Luqa and Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Luqa wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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