Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Phoenix versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Phoenix versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,096 in Phoenix versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Phoenix costs roughly 56% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phoenix is 25% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 MUR 314

$16.19 €14.15

-58.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.50 MUR 2,044

$63.3 €55.3

-31.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 MUR 314

$10.32 €9.02

-35.27%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MUR 125

$2.83 €2.47

-6.01%

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

$1.02 MUR 47.72

$2.29 €2.00

-55.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.65

$1.58 €1.38

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 102

$3.40 €2.97

-36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MUR 128

$4.03 €3.52

-32.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 67.9

$1.09 €0.95

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.00

$1.75 €1.53

-62.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.0

$1.76 €1.54

-27.27%

Eggs

$2.33 MUR 109

$3.17 €2.77

-26.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 MUR 462

$13.19 €11.53

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 MUR 285

$7.97 €6.96

-23.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 MUR 493

$15.53 €13.57

-32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.4

$2.37 €2.07

-16.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MUR 89.5

$1.71 €1.49

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.4

$2.01 €1.75

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 127

$2.43 €2.12

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.35

$1.76 €1.54

-41.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.39

$2.03 €1.78

-51.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 36.91

$1.92 €1.68

-58.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MUR 25.31

$0.85 €0.74

-36.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 MUR 278

$6.58 €5.75

-10.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 MUR 403

$5.58 €4.87

53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MUR 82.2

$1.33 €1.16

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 MUR 102

$2.97 €2.60

-26.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 46.88

$2.28 €1.99

-56.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 MUR 210

$4.23 €3.69

5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 MUR 122

$0.81 €0.71

219.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.68 MUR 737

$18.44 €16.11

-14.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MUR 75.0

$2.08 €1.82

-23.08%

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

$35.2K MUR 1.7M

$34.7K €30.3K

1.40%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$39.2K €34.2K

-25.69%

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

$48.82 MUR 2,294

$148 €129

-67.02%

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

$18.68 MUR 878

$20.46 €17.88

-8.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.62 MUR 1,533

$39.56 €34.56

-17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.01 MUR 1,787

$47.99 €41.93

-20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 MUR 292

$9.22 €8.06

-32.54%

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

$153 MUR 7,174

$616 €538

-75.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,977 MUR 186.9K

$16.4K €14.4K

-75.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MUR 2,388

$103 €89.7

-50.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 MUR 2,030

$41.74 €36.47

3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 MUR 3,934

$94.8 €82.8

-11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 MUR 3,651

$122 €107

-36.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 MUR 26.2K

$1,633 €1,426

-65.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MUR 18.4K

$1,232 €1,077

-68.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 MUR 41.1K

$3,098 €2,707

-71.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 MUR 28.7K

$2,031 €1,775

-69.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$937 MUR 44.0K

$1,607 €1,404

-41.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

3.81

64.04%

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

Last update for Phoenix: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $558 in Phoenix and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 72% 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: $43.00 in Phoenix vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $267 per month, with Phoenix 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

Phoenix vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phoenix and Lisbon differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,000 vs $2,291 including rent). Phoenix is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Lisbon. 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: $558 in Phoenix versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,000 per month in Phoenix versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,000 in Phoenix versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Phoenix but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Phoenix 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, Phoenix 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 Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.