Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sligo and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Sligo: $1,795 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sligo, Ireland
Lisbon, Portugal
Sligo
🇮🇪 Ireland
$1,795
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sligo 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 Sligo and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,795 in Sligo versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Sligo $1,795
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,734 in Sligo versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Sligo $2,734
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,672 in Sligo versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Sligo $3,672
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Sligo costs roughly 19% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sligo 32% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.98 €15.23
$16.65 €14.93
1.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.3 €71.2
$61.7 €55.4
28.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 €8.20
$11.36 €10.19
-19.54%
Cappuccino
$3.71 €3.33
$2.97 €2.66
24.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.36
$2.29 €2.05
14.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 €1.72
$1.74 €1.56
10.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.58 €5.90
$3.40 €3.05
93.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.07 €5.45
$3.31 €2.97
83.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.16 €1.04
20.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.91 €1.71
-21.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.43
$1.51 €1.36
5.96%
Eggs
$3.46 €3.11
$4.02 €3.61
-13.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.60 €7.71
$12.94 €11.61
-33.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.89 €7.98
$7.77 €6.97
14.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 €9.93
$17.76 €15.93
-37.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 €1.80
$2.30 €2.07
-12.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.73 €1.55
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 €2.60
$1.86 €1.67
55.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.71 €2.43
$2.59 €2.32
4.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.69 €1.52
$1.82 €1.63
-7.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 €1.06
$1.97 €1.77
-40.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.17
$1.47 €1.32
-11.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.47
$0.72 €0.65
127.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.45 €15.65
$6.58 €5.91
165.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.00 €9.87
$5.61 €5.03
96.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 €2.39
$1.36 €1.22
95.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81 €3.42
$2.14 €1.92
78.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.18 €1.96
$2.33 €2.09
-6.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.08
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.55 €4.98
$3.85 €3.45
44.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.07 €0.96
39.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$66.7 €59.9
$16.46 €14.77
305.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.78
$2.20 €1.97
-9.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K €34.3K
$34.2K €30.7K
11.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K €34.1K
$38.7K €34.7K
-1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 €145
$161 €145
0.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.47 €20.16
$18.41 €16.51
22.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.00 €40.36
$32.74 €29.37
37.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.0 €58.3
$44.55 €39.96
45.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.97 €9.84
$19.10 €17.13
-42.57%
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 €10.15
$9.60 €8.61
17.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$808 €724
$668 €599
20.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,264 €2,031
$17.6K €15.8K
-87.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.3 €78.3
$102 €91.5
-14.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 €25.48
$44.46 €39.89
-36.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.0 €66.3
$98.5 €88.4
-24.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 €79.0
$124 €111
-28.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,342 €1,204
$1,608 €1,443
-16.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$787 €706
$1,190 €1,067
-33.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,269 €2,036
$2,812 €2,523
-19.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,347 €1,208
$2,013 €1,806
-33.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,140 €1,920
$7,839 €7,032
-72.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,576 €4,104
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sligo
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,073 €3,654
$1,575 €1,413
158.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.6
3.85
-6.49%

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

Last update for Sligo: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sligo
$787
Lisbon
$1.2K 51.2% $403
Groceries & Markets
Sligo
$273
Lisbon
$272 0.4% $1.1
Eating Out
Sligo
$271
Lisbon
$243 10.5% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sligo
$229
Lisbon
$212 7.3% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Sligo
$125
Lisbon
$166 32.7% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Sligo
$88
Lisbon
$64 27.2% $24
Getting Around
Sligo
$22 *
Lisbon
$63 190% $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 $1,342 in Sligo and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sligo pays about 2.6 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79 in Sligo vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Sligo
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
10:20 10:20 AM
10:20 10:20 AM
Same time as Sligo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,608
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sligo Lisbon 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sligo
  • 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
Sligo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sligo and in Lisbon?
Sligo and Lisbon differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,795 vs $2,210 including rent). Sligo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sligo or Lisbon?
Average pay in Sligo is about 2.6 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sligo and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,342 in Sligo versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sligo and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $808 in Sligo versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sligo or Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $1,795 per month in Sligo versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How far does $3,000 go in Sligo compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Sligo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Sligo 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 Sligo or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sligo 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.

Sligo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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