Cost of Living Comparison Between Thiva and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Thiva and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,220 in Thiva versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,957 in Thiva versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,695 in Thiva versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Thiva costs roughly 46% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thiva is 9% below, Lisbon is 67% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.50 โ‚ฌ11.52
$15.73 โ‚ฌ13.42
-14.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.4 โ‚ฌ48.96
$63.2 โ‚ฌ53.9
-9.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.08 โ‚ฌ6.04
$10.32 โ‚ฌ8.80
-31.40%
Cappuccino
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.18
$2.81 โ‚ฌ2.40
-9.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 โ‚ฌ1.43
$2.33 โ‚ฌ1.99
-27.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 โ‚ฌ0.43
$1.51 โ‚ฌ1.29
-66.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.77 โ‚ฌ4.07
$3.37 โ‚ฌ2.87
41.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 โ‚ฌ2.40
$3.91 โ‚ฌ3.34
-28.13%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 โ‚ฌ1.32
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.92
42.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.58 โ‚ฌ1.34
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.49
-9.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.11 โ‚ฌ1.80
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.50
20.57%
Eggs
$4.22 โ‚ฌ3.60
$3.10 โ‚ฌ2.64
36.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.56 โ‚ฌ11.57
$13.28 โ‚ฌ11.33
2.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.80 โ‚ฌ8.36
$7.85 โ‚ฌ6.70
24.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.08 โ‚ฌ11.15
$16.05 โ‚ฌ13.69
-18.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.51
$2.39 โ‚ฌ2.04
-25.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 โ‚ฌ1.61
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.47
9.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 โ‚ฌ0.96
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.68
-42.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.87 โ‚ฌ1.59
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.17
-26.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 โ‚ฌ0.84
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.53
-45.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 โ‚ฌ1.05
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.68
-37.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 โ‚ฌ0.81
$1.96 โ‚ฌ1.67
-52.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 โ‚ฌ0.38
$0.84 โ‚ฌ0.71
-46.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.99 โ‚ฌ4.26
$6.82 โ‚ฌ5.82
-26.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.63 โ‚ฌ5.65
$5.85 โ‚ฌ4.99
13.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 โ‚ฌ1.43
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.18
21.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 โ‚ฌ1.66
$2.92 โ‚ฌ2.49
-33.22%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 โ‚ฌ1.20
$2.29 โ‚ฌ1.95
-38.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.18 โ‚ฌ40.25
$46.88 โ‚ฌ39.99
0.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.72 โ‚ฌ3.17
$4.12 โ‚ฌ3.51
-9.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.75 โ‚ฌ11.73
$18.94 โ‚ฌ16.16
-27.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 โ‚ฌ1.83
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
2.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.2K โ‚ฌ26.6K
$35.1K โ‚ฌ30.0K
-11.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8K โ‚ฌ25.4K
$39.7K โ‚ฌ33.9K
-25.07%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$187 โ‚ฌ160
$150 โ‚ฌ128
25.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.82 โ‚ฌ20.32
$20.49 โ‚ฌ17.48
16.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.43 โ‚ฌ26.81
$39.15 โ‚ฌ33.40
-19.72%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.74 โ‚ฌ42.43
$49.65 โ‚ฌ42.35
0.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 โ‚ฌ22.08
$18.47 โ‚ฌ15.76
40.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.88 โ‚ฌ6.72
$9.20 โ‚ฌ7.84
-14.35%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$348 โ‚ฌ297
$624 โ‚ฌ533
-44.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,528 โ‚ฌ4,715
$15.9K โ‚ฌ13.6K
-65.25%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.8 โ‚ฌ44.22
$102 โ‚ฌ87.2
-49.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.00 โ‚ฌ29.85
$40.88 โ‚ฌ34.87
-14.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.5 โ‚ฌ80.6
$95.7 โ‚ฌ81.6
-1.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.7 โ‚ฌ80.8
$121 โ‚ฌ103
-21.78%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$353 โ‚ฌ301
$1,653 โ‚ฌ1,410
-78.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$291 โ‚ฌ248
$1,233 โ‚ฌ1,051
-76.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$766 โ‚ฌ653
$3,043 โ‚ฌ2,596
-74.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$626 โ‚ฌ534
$2,059 โ‚ฌ1,756
-69.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,839 โ‚ฌ1,568
$7,879 โ‚ฌ6,720
-76.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,485 โ‚ฌ1,267
$4,303 โ‚ฌ3,671
-65.49%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Thiva
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,006 โ‚ฌ858
$1,566 โ‚ฌ1,336
-35.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.34
3.81
13.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Thiva: April 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Thiva and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 56% 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: $57 in Thiva vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $270 per month, with Thiva 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
Thiva vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Thiva and Lisbon?
Thiva and Lisbon differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($1,220 vs $2,243 including rent). Thiva is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Lisbon earns 56% less. 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 Thiva and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $353 in Thiva versus $1,653 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 Thiva and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $348 in Thiva versus $624 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,220 in Thiva versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Thiva but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Thiva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Thiva and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Thiva or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Thiva 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: Thiva or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Thiva gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 84% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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