Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma de Mallorca and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma de Mallorca and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,185 in Palma de Mallorca versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,219 in Palma de Mallorca versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,252 in Palma de Mallorca versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Palma de Mallorca costs roughly 1% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palma de Mallorca 63% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.43 €14.99
$15.91 €13.69
9.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.7 €53.9
$64.8 €55.7
-3.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.03 €12.07
$10.51 €9.04
33.49%
Cappuccino
$3.35 €2.88
$2.87 €2.47
16.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 €2.46
$2.24 €1.93
27.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.41
$1.50 €1.29
86.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.65 €4.00
$3.49 €3.00
33.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 €3.86
$3.88 €3.34
15.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.00
$1.14 €0.98
1.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 €1.40
$1.75 €1.51
-6.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 €1.52
$1.76 €1.51
-
Eggs
$3.34 €2.87
$3.22 €2.77
3.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.31 €14.03
$13.49 €11.61
20.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.41 €8.09
$7.91 €6.81
18.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.13 €13.88
$15.87 €13.65
1.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.45 €2.10
$2.31 €1.99
6.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.64
$1.70 €1.46
12.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 €1.66
$2.01 €1.73
-3.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.92 €2.51
$2.46 €2.12
18.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.59
$1.84 €1.59
0.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 €1.98
$2.00 €1.72
15.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.12
$1.93 €1.66
-32.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 €0.61
$0.79 €0.68
-10.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78 €5.83
$6.61 €5.68
2.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.77 €4.97
$5.72 €4.92
0.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.12
$1.37 €1.17
-5.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 €1.54
$2.97 €2.56
-39.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €1.98
$2.37 €2.04
-2.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.31 €38.11
$45.56 €39.19
-2.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.05 €4.34
$4.29 €3.69
17.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.15 €2.71
$0.82 €0.70
284.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.06 €21.56
$18.30 €15.74
36.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.59
$2.06 €1.78
-10.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K €33.3K
$34.3K €29.5K
12.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.6K €28.0K
$39.3K €33.8K
-17.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$247 €212
$148 €127
66.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.92 €18.86
$20.52 €17.65
6.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.42 €36.49
$39.61 €34.08
7.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 €50.7
$47.85 €41.16
23.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.18 €19.08
$18.92 €16.28
17.23%
Cinema Ticket
$9.51 €8.18
$9.18 €7.90
3.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$600 €516
$614 €528
-2.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K €10.6K
$16.0K €13.8K
-23.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.2 €82.7
$105 €90.0
-8.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.8 €54.9
$42.06 €36.18
51.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 €83.3
$94.0 €80.8
3.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €116
$120 €103
13.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,142
$1,628 €1,400
-18.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,016 €874
$1,255 €1,080
-19.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 €1,794
$3,030 €2,607
-31.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,690 €1,454
$2,020 €1,738
-16.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,092 €6,100
$7,800 €6,709
-9.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,824 €3,289
$4,273 €3,675
-10.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Palma de Mallorca
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,063 €1,774
$1,603 €1,379
28.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.59
3.81
-5.77%

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

Last update for Palma de Mallorca: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in Palma de Mallorca and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma de Mallorca pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Palma de Mallorca vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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
Palma de Mallorca vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Palma de Mallorca and Lisbon?
Palma de Mallorca and Lisbon differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,185 vs $2,210 including rent). Palma de Mallorca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Palma de Mallorca or Lisbon?
Palma de Mallorca pays 29% more on average, 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 Palma de Mallorca and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,328 in Palma de Mallorca versus $1,628 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 Palma de Mallorca and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $600 in Palma de Mallorca versus $614 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?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,185 in Palma de Mallorca versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Palma de Mallorca but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Palma de Mallorca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Palma de Mallorca 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: Palma de Mallorca or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Palma de Mallorca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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