Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix: $823 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phoenix
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$823
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phoenix and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phoenix and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $823 in Phoenix versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Phoenix $823
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Phoenix versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Phoenix $1,303
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,783 in Phoenix versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Phoenix $1,783
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Phoenix costs roughly 63% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phoenix is 39% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.12 MUR 99.7
$16.50 €14.67
-87.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.62 MUR 1,489
$61.3 €54.5
-48.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.31 MUR 344
$11.27 €10.03
-35.14%
Cappuccino
$5.18 MUR 244
$3.06 €2.72
69.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 MUR 28.29
$2.26 €2.01
-73.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 MUR 25.79
$1.73 €1.54
-68.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.05 MUR 96.4
$3.39 €3.02
-39.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29 MUR 249
$3.40 €3.02
55.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MUR 68.0
$1.12 €1.00
28.57%
White Bread (500g)
$0.40 MUR 19.01
$1.86 €1.65
-78.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 MUR 101
$1.53 €1.36
41.18%
Eggs
$4.91 MUR 231
$3.96 €3.53
23.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$12.76 €11.35
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.21 MUR 387
$7.90 €7.02
3.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.45 MUR 304
$16.97 €15.09
-61.99%
Apples (1kg)
$7.50 MUR 353
$2.27 €2.02
230.40%
Banana (1kg)
$3.88 MUR 183
$1.75 €1.55
121.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.58 MUR 215
$1.85 €1.64
147.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 MUR 70.0
$2.57 €2.28
-42.02%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 MUR 40.12
$1.86 €1.65
-54.30%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 MUR 40.69
$2.02 €1.80
-57.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 MUR 34.03
$1.44 €1.28
-50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 MUR 35.76
$0.82 €0.73
-7.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.56 €5.83
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MUR 489
$5.62 €5.00
84.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 MUR 95.9
$1.28 €1.14
59.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.07 €1.84
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 MUR 50.7
$2.35 €2.09
-54.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.33 MUR 486
$44.18 €39.30
-76.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.99 €3.55
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 MUR 68.7
$1.09 €0.97
33.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.64 €14.81
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 MUR 62.5
$2.28 €2.03
-41.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$33.7K €30.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$39.3K €35.0K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$167 €149
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.01 MUR 659
$18.80 €16.72
-25.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.77 MUR 1,166
$33.09 €29.43
-25.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.58 MUR 1,204
$46.01 €40.93
-44.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.19 €17.07
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.21 MUR 245
$9.84 €8.75
-47.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$677 €602
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.9K €15.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 MUR 2,511
$101 €90.1
-47.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7 MUR 2,481
$45.76 €40.70
15.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$100.0 €88.9
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$123 €109
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$526 MUR 24.8K
$1,614 €1,436
-67.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$311 MUR 14.6K
$1,197 €1,065
-74.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$831 MUR 39.1K
$2,862 €2,545
-70.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$535 MUR 25.2K
$1,990 €1,770
-73.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,577 €6,740
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,307 €3,831
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phoenix
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$959 MUR 45.1K
$1,588 €1,412
-39.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.85
29.87%

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

Last update for Phoenix: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phoenix
$311
Lisbon
$1.2K 285% $886
Groceries & Markets
Phoenix
$241 *
Lisbon
$269 11.8% $28
Eating Out
Phoenix
$126
Lisbon
$242 91.6% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Phoenix
$48 *
Lisbon
$166 249% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phoenix
$39 *
Lisbon
$219 466% $181
Sport & Entertainment
Phoenix
$36
Lisbon
$66 82.4% $30
Getting Around
Phoenix
$22 *
Lisbon
$63 187% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Phoenix and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 66% 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: $32.00 in Phoenix vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $269 per month, with Phoenix cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇺 Phoenix
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
15:46 3:46 PM
12:46 12:46 PM
3 h behind Phoenix
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
115,289
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phoenix Lisbon 9,540 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phoenix
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Phoenix and in Lisbon?
Phoenix and Lisbon differ by about 170% in total monthly costs ($823 vs $2,223 including rent). Phoenix is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 66% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phoenix and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $526 in Phoenix versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phoenix or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $823 per month in Phoenix versus $2,223 in Lisbon – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $823 in Phoenix versus $2,223 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.
How does quality of life compare between Phoenix 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 Phoenix or Lisbon safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Phoenix or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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