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: $147 in Paro versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $303 in Paro versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $458 in Paro versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Paro costs roughly 94% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Paro is 89% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

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

$2.49 €2.15

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

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

$19.01 €16.38

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.49 BTN 294

$19.51 €16.81

-82.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BTN 16.7K

$1,661 €1,432

-88.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 BTN 12.7K

$1,228 €1,059

-87.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 BTN 42.0K

$2,915 €2,513

-82.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 BTN 38.3K

$2,023 €1,744

-77.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Paro: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Paro and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 1439% in total monthly costs ($147 vs $2,268 including rent). Paro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $221 in Paro and $3,402 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Paro versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $147 in Paro versus $2,268 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 1439% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.