Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,929 in Rabat versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Rabat versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,727 in Rabat versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Rabat costs roughly 17% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rabat 40% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €14.89

$17.30 €14.87

0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 €44.40

$63.3 €54.4

-18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.82

$11.39 €9.79

0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.38 €2.05

$3.19 €2.74

-25.39%

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

$2.55 €2.19

$2.45 €2.10

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.03

$3.59 €3.09

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.95

$3.39 €2.92

1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.24 €1.06

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.98 €1.71

-28.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.52 €1.31

55.26%

Eggs

$3.77 €3.24

$4.04 €3.47

-6.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 €7.38

$13.54 €11.64

-36.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 €7.16

$8.39 €7.21

-0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 €11.07

$18.25 €15.69

-29.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 €3.67

$2.29 €1.97

86.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.74 €1.50

29.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 €3.30

$1.86 €1.60

106.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.63 €2.26

-9.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.92 €1.65

-41.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.09 €1.80

-45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.44 €1.24

-18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.84 €0.72

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 €5.99

$6.78 €5.83

2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.15

$5.71 €4.91

45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.38 €1.18

26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.22 €1.91

12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.44

$2.40 €2.06

18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$4.17 €3.59

38.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.14 €0.98

107.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.36 €23.52

$17.68 €15.20

54.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.32

$2.32 €2.00

-33.62%

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

$40.0K €34.4K

$35.3K €30.4K

13.19%

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

$40.5K €34.8K

$41.4K €35.6K

-2.32%

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

$107 €92.0

$170 €146

-37.17%

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

$12.92 €11.10

$19.34 €16.62

-33.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.09 €37.90

$33.64 €28.92

31.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 €55.3

$48.10 €41.35

33.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 €19.74

$19.90 €17.11

15.38%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 €8.84

$9.92 €8.53

3.63%

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

$387 €333

$717 €617

-46.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €9,967

$17.5K €15.0K

-33.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.9

$105 €90.1

-12.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 €25.46

$46.95 €40.36

-36.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 €65.6

$103 €88.9

-26.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 €68.7

$124 €107

-35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 €1,147

$1,677 €1,441

-20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 €955

$1,271 €1,093

-12.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 €1,474

$2,985 €2,566

-42.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,492

$1,992 €1,713

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,341 €3,732

$7,826 €6,728

-44.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,244 €2,789

$4,658 €4,004

-30.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,372 €1,180

$1,583 €1,361

-13.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.79

-23.48%

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

Last update for Rabat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,334 in Rabat and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 15% 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: $52.0 in Rabat vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $283 per month, with Rabat 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

Rabat vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabat and Lisbon differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,929 vs $2,316 including rent). Rabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $1,334 in Rabat versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,929 per month in Rabat versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,929 in Rabat versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rabat but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rabat 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, Rabat 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 Rabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.