Cost of Living Comparison Between Newquay and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Newquay and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,441 in Newquay versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,659 in Newquay versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,876 in Newquay versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Newquay is roughly 6% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newquay 78% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 £15.23

$17.59 €15.31

15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 £60.5

$62.9 €54.7

28.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 £7.45

$11.58 €10.08

-13.82%

Cappuccino

$5.02 £3.75

$3.10 €2.70

61.94%

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

$2.48 £1.86

$2.49 €2.17

-0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.74 €1.52

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 £4.52

$3.48 €3.03

73.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 £4.94

$3.44 €3.00

92.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 £1.27

$1.15 €1.00

47.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 £1.53

$1.91 €1.66

7.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 £1.76

$1.50 €1.31

57.33%

Eggs

$4.34 £3.24

$3.98 €3.47

9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 £4.72

$13.29 €11.57

-52.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 £7.00

$8.01 €6.97

17.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 £9.63

$18.04 €15.70

-28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 £1.70

$2.35 €2.05

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 £1.35

$1.75 €1.52

3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.85 €1.61

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 £1.61

$2.55 €2.22

-15.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 £1.67

$1.84 €1.60

21.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 £0.99

$2.10 €1.83

-36.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 £1.41

$1.49 €1.29

26.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 £1.48

$0.82 €0.71

142.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.65 £17.66

$7.10 €6.18

233.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 £7.29

$5.91 €5.14

65.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 £2.07

$1.31 €1.14

111.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.84

$2.13 €1.85

15.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 £2.48

$4.08 €3.55

-18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 £1.82

$1.14 €0.99

114.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.25 £24.83

$17.09 €14.88

94.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$2.31 €2.01

-15.15%

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

$38.5K £28.7K

$34.1K €29.7K

12.73%

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

$42.0K £31.3K

$41.4K €36.0K

1.40%

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

$371 £277

$169 €147

119.95%

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

$16.31 £12.18

$19.33 €16.82

-15.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.37 £32.38

$33.51 €29.17

29.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 £39.61

$48.84 €42.50

8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.91

Cinema Ticket

$21.29 £15.90

$9.57 €8.33

122.47%

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

$2,293 £1,712

$696 €606

229.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K £25.9K

$17.4K €15.1K

99.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 £69.7

$105 €91.6

-11.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 £38.00

$47.75 €41.56

6.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 £120

$101 €87.5

59.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 £107

$124 €108

15.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 £990

$1,662 €1,446

-20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 £849

$1,246 €1,085

-8.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,472 £1,846

$2,965 €2,580

-16.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 £1,534

$2,049 €1,783

0.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,818

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,885

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,166 £1,618

$1,632 €1,420

32.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

3.78

31.22%

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

Last update for Newquay: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,326 in Newquay and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newquay pays 33% 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: $81.0 in Newquay vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $277 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

Newquay vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newquay and Lisbon differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,441 vs $2,296 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Newquay, 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: $1,326 in Newquay versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Newquay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,441 per month in Newquay versus $2,296 in Lisbon – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,441 in Newquay, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Newquay. 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, Newquay 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 6% less than in Newquay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.