Cost of Living Comparison Between Monrovia and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Monrovia and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Monrovia versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,463 in Monrovia versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,543 in Monrovia versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Monrovia costs roughly 39% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monrovia 3% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 LRD 1,324

$15.94 €13.73

-54.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$152 LRD 27.6K

$63.4 €54.6

140.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 LRD 2,007

$10.38 €8.95

6.65%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LRD 601

$2.79 €2.40

19.00%

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

$1.97 LRD 357

$2.34 €2.01

-15.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 LRD 477

$1.57 €1.35

67.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 LRD 487

$3.43 €2.95

-21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LRD 547

$3.91 €3.37

-22.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 LRD 389

$1.08 €0.93

98.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 LRD 331

$1.77 €1.52

3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 LRD 955

$1.71 €1.47

208.19%

Eggs

$3.57 LRD 647

$3.15 €2.71

13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 LRD 2,151

$13.68 €11.79

-13.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 LRD 2,165

$8.01 €6.90

49.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.73 LRD 6,480

$15.52 €13.37

130.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 LRD 301

$2.29 €1.98

-27.51%

Banana (1kg)

$8.49 LRD 1,541

$1.64 €1.41

417.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.23 LRD 1,856

$1.94 €1.67

427.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.16 LRD 2,023

$2.51 €2.17

344.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 LRD 405

$1.79 €1.54

24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$10.60 LRD 1,922

$2.01 €1.73

427.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.58 LRD 830

$1.97 €1.69

132.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LRD 357

$0.84 €0.73

134.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 LRD 889

$6.79 €5.85

-27.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 LRD 1,236

$5.67 €4.89

20.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 LRD 441

$1.39 €1.20

74.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LRD 604

$3.02 €2.60

10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 LRD 530

$2.27 €1.95

28.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.78 LRD 3,586

$45.44 €39.15

-56.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 LRD 495

$4.29 €3.70

-36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 LRD 227

$0.85 €0.73

47.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.33 LRD 3,143

$18.28 €15.75

-5.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LRD 229

$1.99 €1.71

-36.68%

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

$12.5K LRD 2.3M

$35.0K €30.2K

-64.29%

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

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

$39.5K €34.1K

-62.36%

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

$270 LRD 49.0K

$146 €126

84.98%

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

$22.13 LRD 4,014

$20.45 €17.62

8.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.0 LRD 17.2K

$38.98 €33.58

143.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 LRD 13.7K

$48.98 €42.21

54.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.23 LRD 1,492

$18.83 €16.22

-56.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 LRD 1,805

$9.52 €8.21

4.52%

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

$131 LRD 23.8K

$608 €524

-78.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$895 LRD 162.3K

$16.5K €14.2K

-94.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.05 LRD 3,274

$104 €89.5

-82.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 LRD 6,192

$42.12 €36.29

-18.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

$92.2 €79.5

-38.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 LRD 12.3K

$120 €103

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 LRD 122.7K

$1,621 €1,397

-58.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.6 LRD 17.5K

$1,268 €1,092

-92.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 LRD 336.9K

$3,048 €2,626

-39.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 LRD 48.2K

$2,009 €1,731

-86.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$713 LRD 129.3K

$1,585 €1,366

-55.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

31.23%

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

Last update for Monrovia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $676 in Monrovia and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 122% 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: $152 in Monrovia vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 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

Monrovia vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monrovia and Lisbon differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($1,383 vs $2,263 including rent). Monrovia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 122% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $676 in Monrovia versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $131 in Monrovia versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 99% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,383 in Monrovia versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia 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, Monrovia 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 Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.