Cost of Living Comparison Between Midlands and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Midlands and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,065 in Midlands versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Midlands versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,353 in Midlands versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Midlands costs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Midlands is 20% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 MUR 317

$15.75 €13.64

-57.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 MUR 2,101

$63.5 €55.0

-29.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 MUR 331

$10.45 €9.05

-32.34%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 119

$2.91 €2.52

-12.37%

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

$0.96 MUR 45.02

$2.29 €1.98

-58.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.01

$1.50 €1.30

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 MUR 102

$3.56 €3.09

-38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MUR 155

$3.96 €3.43

-16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MUR 79.1

$1.08 €0.94

56.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.93

$1.76 €1.53

-60.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.1

$1.70 €1.47

-24.71%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 105

$3.25 €2.81

-30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 MUR 565

$13.25 €11.47

-8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 MUR 287

$7.70 €6.67

-20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 MUR 585

$15.77 €13.66

-20.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 97.2

$2.28 €1.97

-8.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 90.4

$1.66 €1.43

16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 70.7

$2.02 €1.75

-25.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 123

$2.47 €2.14

6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.01

$1.79 €1.55

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.30

$2.07 €1.79

-54.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MUR 39.64

$1.97 €1.71

-56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.09

$0.83 €0.72

-9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 MUR 317

$6.55 €5.68

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 MUR 401

$5.57 €4.82

53.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MUR 83.8

$1.33 €1.15

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 104

$3.01 €2.60

-25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 48.73

$2.27 €1.97

-54.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MUR 211

$4.23 €3.66

6.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 128

$0.85 €0.73

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.45 MUR 911

$18.83 €16.31

3.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$2.02 €1.75

-27.72%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$35.0K €30.3K

1.06%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$39.6K €34.3K

-28.14%

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

$48.57 MUR 2,275

$148 €128

-67.17%

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

$18.04 MUR 845

$20.52 €17.77

-12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.05 MUR 1,548

$39.52 €34.23

-16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.65 MUR 1,763

$48.17 €41.72

-21.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MUR 276

$9.10 €7.88

-35.38%

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

$152 MUR 7,110

$615 €532

-75.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,018 MUR 188.2K

$16.3K €14.1K

-75.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MUR 3,922

$102 €88.0

-17.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 MUR 3,738

$42.09 €36.45

89.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,127

$92.3 €79.9

41.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 MUR 4,501

$122 €106

-21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MUR 24.3K

$1,612 €1,396

-67.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.2K

$1,254 €1,086

-72.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 MUR 44.8K

$3,069 €2,658

-68.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MUR 33.8K

$2,037 €1,764

-64.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

3.81

75.07%

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

Last update for Midlands: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $519 in Midlands and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Midlands vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $267 per month, with Midlands 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

Midlands vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midlands and Lisbon differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($1,065 vs $2,280 including rent). Midlands is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,598 in Midlands and $3,420 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $519 in Midlands versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Midlands versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,065 in Midlands versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Midlands but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Midlands 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, Midlands 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 Midlands gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.