Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makarska and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Makarska: $1,615 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Makarska, Croatia
Lisbon, Portugal
Makarska
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,615
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Makarska 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 Makarska and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,615 in Makarska versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Makarska $1,615
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,504 in Makarska versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Makarska $2,504
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,393 in Makarska versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Makarska $3,393
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Makarska costs roughly 27% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Makarska 19% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.29 €15.53
$16.65 €14.95
3.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.3 €71.2
$61.7 €55.5
28.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.01 €7.20
$11.36 €10.20
-29.49%
Cappuccino
$3.16 €2.84
$2.97 €2.67
6.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 €3.52
$2.29 €2.06
71.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.66
$1.74 €1.56
70.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.54 €4.98
$3.40 €3.06
62.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.83 €4.34
$3.31 €2.97
45.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.05
$1.16 €1.04
0.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.66 €1.49
$1.91 €1.72
-13.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.16 €2.84
$1.51 €1.36
109.27%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.53
$4.02 €3.61
25.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.36 €13.80
$12.94 €11.62
18.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.60 €8.62
$7.77 €6.98
23.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.87 €10.66
$17.76 €15.95
-33.16%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 €1.69
$2.30 €2.07
-18.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 €1.38
$1.73 €1.56
-10.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 €1.85
$1.86 €1.67
10.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 €2.47
$2.59 €2.33
6.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.82 €1.64
25.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.97 €1.77
6.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 €1.43
$1.47 €1.32
8.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 €1.45
$0.72 €0.65
125.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.66 €5.08
$6.58 €5.91
-13.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.72 €6.94
$5.61 €5.04
37.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.27
$1.36 €1.22
3.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.27
$2.14 €1.92
-33.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.33 €2.10
-25.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.80 €43.84
$44.68 €40.14
9.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.96 €2.66
$3.85 €3.46
-23.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.07 €0.96
37.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.55 €12.17
$16.46 €14.79
-17.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 €1.54
$2.20 €1.98
-21.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K €23.4K
$34.2K €30.7K
-23.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K €22.8K
$38.7K €34.8K
-34.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$182 €163
$161 €145
12.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.27 €24.50
$18.41 €16.54
48.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.95 €38.58
$32.74 €29.41
31.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.7 €52.7
$44.55 €40.02
31.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.97 €13.45
$19.10 €17.16
-21.62%
Cinema Ticket
$10.65 €9.57
$9.60 €8.62
10.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$426 €383
$668 €600
-36.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,821 €6,127
$17.6K €15.8K
-61.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 €81.0
$102 €91.6
-11.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.62 €40.08
$44.46 €39.94
0.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €93.5
$98.5 €88.5
5.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 €69.9
$124 €111
-37.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$673 €604
$1,608 €1,445
-58.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$516 €463
$1,190 €1,069
-56.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,165 €1,046
$2,812 €2,526
-58.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$875 €786
$2,013 €1,808
-56.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,347 €3,905
$7,839 €7,042
-44.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,887 €2,594
$4,576 €4,110
-36.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Makarska
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,575 €1,415
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.72
3.85
-3.38%

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

Last update for Makarska: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Makarska
$516
Lisbon
$1.2K 131% $674
Groceries & Markets
Makarska
$294
Lisbon
$272 7.2% $21
Eating Out
Makarska
$265
Lisbon
$243 8.5% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Makarska
$252
Lisbon
$212 15.8% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Makarska
$142
Lisbon
$166 16.4% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Makarska
$80
Lisbon
$64 20.3% $16
Getting Around
Makarska
$66
Lisbon
$63 4.3% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Makarska and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79 in Makarska vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Makarska
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
21:28 9:28 PM
20:28 8:28 PM
1 h behind Makarska
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,809
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Makarska Lisbon 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Makarska
  • 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
Makarska vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Makarska and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,615 in Makarska and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Makarska is about 27% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Makarska compared to Lisbon?
You’d need roughly $2,423 in Makarska and $3,315 in Lisbon 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Makarska and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $673 in Makarska 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 Makarska and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $426 in Makarska 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 7% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $2,500 go in Makarska compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Makarska gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Makarska 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 Makarska or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Makarska and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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