Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,144 in Portsmouth versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Portsmouth versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,583 in Portsmouth versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Portsmouth costs roughly 48% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Portsmouth is 15% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 EC$14.88

$15.91 €13.69

-65.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 EC$147

$64.8 €55.7

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 EC$18.26

$10.51 €9.04

-35.68%

Cappuccino

$2.55 EC$6.89

$2.87 €2.47

-11.15%

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

$2.21 EC$5.97

$2.24 €1.93

-1.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.50 €1.29

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 EC$7.19

$3.49 €3.00

-23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 EC$10.07

$3.88 €3.34

-3.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 EC$7.67

$1.14 €0.98

149.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 EC$5.86

$1.75 €1.51

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 EC$5.59

$1.76 €1.51

17.61%

Eggs

$6.56 EC$17.72

$3.22 €2.77

103.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.63 EC$7.10

$13.49 €11.61

-80.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 EC$14.69

$7.91 €6.81

-31.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 EC$20.46

$2.31 €1.99

228.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 EC$6.92

$1.70 €1.46

50.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 EC$11.26

$2.01 €1.73

107.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 EC$11.12

$2.46 €2.12

67.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.91

$1.84 €1.59

59.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.55

$2.00 €1.72

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 EC$5.07

$1.93 €1.66

-2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$0.79 €0.68

140.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 EC$30.01

$5.72 €4.92

94.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 EC$4.93

$1.37 €1.17

32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 EC$6.95

$2.97 €2.56

-13.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 EC$2.09

$2.37 €2.04

-67.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 EC$10.25

$4.29 €3.69

-11.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.61 EC$9.75

$0.82 €0.70

340.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$40.26 EC$109

$20.52 €17.65

96.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 EC$176

$39.61 €34.08

65.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.58 EC$101

$47.85 €41.16

-21.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 EC$30.06

$9.18 €7.90

21.24%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 EC$151

$105 €90.0

-46.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 EC$63.8

$42.06 €36.18

-43.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 EC$151

$94.0 €80.8

-40.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 EC$180

$120 €103

-44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 EC$1,292

$1,628 €1,400

-70.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 EC$1,213

$1,255 €1,080

-64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 EC$2,717

$3,030 €2,607

-66.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 EC$2,272

$2,020 €1,738

-58.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 EC$1,675

$1,603 €1,379

-61.30%

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 Portsmouth: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in Portsmouth and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 158% 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: $54.0 in Portsmouth vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 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

Portsmouth vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portsmouth and Lisbon differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($1,144 vs $2,210 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 158% 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: $478 in Portsmouth versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Portsmouth – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,144 per month in Portsmouth versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,144 in Portsmouth versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Portsmouth but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Portsmouth 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, Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.