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Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Monaco and Lisbon
For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $10.4K in Monaco, rent and utilities included – about $98,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Monaco and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $10.4K in Monaco versus $2,202 in Lisbon.
Monaco $10.4K
Lisbon $2,202
Estimated couple costs with rent: $11.9K in Monaco versus $3,274 in Lisbon.
Monaco $11.9K
Lisbon $3,274
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $13.4K in Monaco versus $4,346 in Lisbon.
Monaco $13.4K
Lisbon $4,346
🌍
Living in Monaco is roughly 373% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monaco669% above, Lisbon62% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81€17.62
$17.04€15.15
16.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$166€148
$62.3€55.4
166.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.38€11.01
$11.02€9.80
12.34%
Cappuccino
$3.61€3.21
$3.12€2.78
15.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.11€5.43
$2.27€2.02
169.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57€4.07
$1.74€1.55
162.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.98€8.87
$3.42€3.04
191.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.70€7.74
$3.74€3.33
132.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82€1.62
$1.17€1.04
55.56%
White Bread(500g)
$3.24€2.88
$1.86€1.66
74.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.08€3.63
$1.54€1.37
164.94%
Eggs
$4.97€4.42
$4.06€3.61
22.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.90€12.36
$12.91€11.49
7.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.91€15.04
$7.90€7.03
114.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.47€16.43
$17.64€15.69
4.71%
Apples(1kg)
$3.25€2.89
$2.26€2.01
43.81%
Banana(1kg)
$2.73€2.43
$1.75€1.55
56.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.69€2.39
$1.89€1.68
42.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.57€3.17
$2.56€2.27
39.45%
Potato(1kg)
$2.37€2.10
$1.85€1.64
28.11%
Onion(1kg)
$2.85€2.54
$1.97€1.75
44.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.89€1.68
$1.45€1.29
30.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$7.79€6.93
$0.77€0.69
911.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.26€12.69
$6.71€5.97
112.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.61€5.88
$5.67€5.04
16.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56€1.39
$1.37€1.22
13.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.40€3.92
$2.11€1.88
108.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.27€2.02
$2.32€2.07
-2.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.50€20.90
$44.43€39.52
-47.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.95€3.51
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.61€1.43
$1.05€0.93
53.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$90.6€80.6
$17.15€15.26
428.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.23€1.98
$2.19€1.95
1.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.8K€43.4K
$33.8K€30.0K
44.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K€34.2K
$38.3K€34.0K
0.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$424€377
$164€146
158.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.44€37.75
$18.48€16.43
129.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.7€55.7
$32.96€29.32
90.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$229€204
$45.87€40.80
399.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$52.6€46.74
$18.68€16.61
181.32%
Cinema Ticket
$13.53€12.03
$9.75€8.67
38.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,155€1,917
$684€608
214.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$44.4K€39.5K
$17.6K€15.7K
151.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$152€136
$104€92.3
46.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$82.0€72.9
$46.20€41.09
77.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$170€151
$99.7€88.7
70.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$722€642
$125€111
478.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$9,333€8,302
$1,589€1,414
487.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$8,266€7,353
$1,169€1,040
607.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$16.5K€14.7K
$2,851€2,536
480.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$8,429€7,498
$1,993€1,773
322.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$72.1K€64.2K
$7,793€6,932
825.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$55.0K€48.9K
$4,418€3,930
1144.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monaco
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$8,751€7,784
$1,600€1,423
446.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.25
3.85
-15.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Monaco: October 19, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Monaco
$8.3K 79.3%
Lisbon
$1.2K 53.1% ↓ 85.9%$7.1K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monaco
$529 5.1%
Lisbon
$215 9.8% ↓ 59.3%$313
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Monaco
$507 4.9%
Lisbon
$168 7.7% ↓ 66.8%$338
🛒Groceries & Markets
Monaco
$473 4.5%
Lisbon
$273 12.4% ↓ 42.3%$200
🍽Eating Out
Monaco
$349 3.4%
Lisbon
$247 11.2% ↓ 29.1%$102
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Monaco
$256 2.5%
Lisbon
$65 3% ↓ 74.5%$191
🚌Getting Around
Monaco
$41 * 0.4%
Lisbon
$63 2.9% ↑ 54.7%$22
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Monaco
$8.4K 63.1%
Lisbon
$2K 45.9% ↓ 76.4%$6.4K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monaco
$571 4.3%
Lisbon
$234 5.4% ↓ 59.1%$337
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Monaco
$1.1K 8.4%
Lisbon
$374 8.6% ↓ 66.8%$752
🛒Groceries & Markets
Monaco
$1.1K 8.1%
Lisbon
$651 15% ↓ 39.6%$426
🍽Eating Out
Monaco
$1.5K 11.3%
Lisbon
$815 18.7% ↓ 46.2%$700
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Monaco
$564 4.2%
Lisbon
$149 3.4% ↓ 73.5%$415
🚌Getting Around
Monaco
$86 * 0.6%
Lisbon
$130 3% ↑ 52%$45
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $9,333 in Monaco and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Monaco pays 447% 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: $166 in Monaco vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.
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
Monaco vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Monaco and in Lisbon?
Monaco and Lisbon differ by about 373% in total monthly costs ($10.4K vs $2,202 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Monaco or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 447% higher in Monaco, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Monaco and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $9,333 in Monaco versus $1,589 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 Monaco and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $2,155 in Monaco versus $684 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Monaco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $10.4K in Monaco, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Monaco. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Monaco 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 Monaco or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Monaco 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.
Where should expats move: Monaco or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 373% less than in Monaco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.