Cost of Living Comparison Between Paro and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Paro and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $150 in Paro versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $184 in Paro versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $217 in Paro versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Paro costs roughly 93% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Paro is 89% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

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

$2.25 €1.92

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

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

$35.3K €30.2K

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

$38.5K €32.9K

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

$145 €124

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

$20.96 €17.94

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.47 BTN 329

$18.69 €16.00

-81.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

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

$607 €519

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BTN 18.8K

$1,604 €1,373

-87.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 BTN 14.4K

$1,236 €1,058

-87.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 BTN 23.1K

$3,046 €2,607

-92.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 BTN 20.6K

$2,057 €1,761

-89.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 BTN 55.1K

$1,584 €1,356

-63.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Paro: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Paro and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 173% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Paro vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paro and Lisbon differ by about 1382% in total monthly costs ($150 vs $2,227 including rent). Paro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 173% 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: $198 in Paro versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $150 in Paro versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paro but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Paro 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, Paro 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 Paro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1382% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.