Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsa and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsa and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,976 in Marsa versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,186 in Marsa versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,395 in Marsa versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Marsa is roughly 35% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Marsa 122% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.86 €17.96

$15.91 €13.70

31.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 €82.9

$64.8 €55.8

48.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.11

$10.51 €9.05

11.70%

Cappuccino

$3.03 €2.61

$2.87 €2.47

5.57%

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

$2.25 €1.94

$2.24 €1.93

0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.50 €1.30

52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 €4.02

$3.49 €3.01

33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.33

$3.88 €3.34

-30.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.14 €0.98

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.75 €1.51

-26.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 €3.63

$1.76 €1.51

139.20%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.89

$3.22 €2.77

40.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 €8.79

$13.49 €11.62

-24.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 €7.82

$7.91 €6.81

14.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 €11.78

$15.87 €13.67

-13.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 €3.79

$2.31 €1.99

90.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.70 €1.46

77.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$2.01 €1.73

68.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 €3.26

$2.46 €2.12

54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$1.84 €1.59

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$2.00 €1.72

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.93 €1.66

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.79 €0.68

56.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 €5.54

$6.61 €5.69

-2.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 €7.44

$5.72 €4.93

51.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.37 €1.18

36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.91

$2.97 €2.56

-25.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.37 €2.04

18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.87

$4.29 €3.69

31.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 €3.10

$0.82 €0.70

339.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.94 €43.01

$18.30 €15.76

172.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.06 €1.78

-26.70%

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

$39.4K €34.0K

$34.3K €29.5K

15.03%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$39.3K €33.8K

-2.16%

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

$94.1 €81.1

$148 €127

-36.35%

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

$27.87 €24.00

$20.52 €17.67

35.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.80 €39.44

$39.61 €34.11

15.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 €55.7

$47.85 €41.20

35.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 €20.27

$18.92 €16.29

24.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 €8.90

$9.18 €7.91

12.64%

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

$431 €371

$614 €529

-29.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K €9,691

$16.0K €13.8K

-29.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €79.6

$105 €90.1

-11.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 €33.36

$42.06 €36.22

-7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.6

$94.0 €80.9

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 €86.6

$120 €103

-15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 €1,443

$1,628 €1,402

2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,661

$1,255 €1,081

53.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 €1,959

$3,030 €2,609

-24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,893 €2,492

$2,020 €1,740

43.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,306 €2,847

$1,603 €1,381

106.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

3.81

12.07%

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

Last update for Marsa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,676 in Marsa and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marsa pays 106% 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: $96.0 in Marsa vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $269 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

Marsa vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marsa and Lisbon differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,976 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Marsa pays 106% more on average, 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: $1,676 in Marsa versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,976 per month in Marsa versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,976 in Marsa, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Marsa. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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, Marsa and Lisbon 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Marsa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.