🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,304 in Toa Alta versus $2,227 in Lisbon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,986 in Toa Alta versus $3,305 in Lisbon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,669 in Toa Alta versus $4,384 in Lisbon.
🙂Living in Toa Alta costs roughly 41% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Toa Alta is 3% below, Lisbon is 66% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.02$13.02
$16.17€13.84
-19.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.8$81.8
$64.6€55.3
26.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.51$9.51
$10.38€8.88
-8.38%
Cappuccino
$3.59$3.59
$2.77€2.37
29.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60$1.60
$2.25€1.92
-28.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40$1.40
$1.57€1.35
-10.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03$3.03
$3.49€2.99
-13.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52$4.52
$4.00€3.43
13.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.49$2.49
$1.08€0.93
130.56%
White Bread(500g)
$3.48$3.48
$1.74€1.49
100.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25$2.25
$1.74€1.49
29.31%
Eggs
$5.29$5.29
$3.18€2.72
66.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.90$4.90
$13.43€11.50
-63.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.24$8.24
$7.99€6.84
3.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.67$6.67
$16.09€13.77
-58.55%
Apples(1kg)
$5.73$5.73
$2.28€1.95
151.32%
Banana(1kg)
$2.60$2.60
$1.72€1.48
51.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.81$3.81
$1.94€1.66
96.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.18$4.18
$2.54€2.18
64.57%
Potato(1kg)
$3.94$3.94
$1.83€1.57
115.30%
Onion(1kg)
$3.07$3.07
$2.04€1.75
50.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.11$3.11
$1.98€1.69
57.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93$1.93
$0.85€0.73
127.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.86$11.86
$6.85€5.87
73.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.07$15.07
$5.78€4.94
160.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46$2.46
$1.37€1.18
79.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14$3.14
$2.90€2.48
8.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.28€1.95
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$46.84€40.10
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$4.08€3.49
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53$1.53
$0.82€0.70
86.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.87$14.87
$18.27€15.64
-18.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.00$1.00
$2.01€1.72
-50.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K$36.0K
$35.3K€30.2K
2.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K$26.6K
$38.5K€32.9K
-30.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$393$393
$145€124
170.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$78.5$78.5
$20.96€17.94
274.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.9$60.9
$40.05€34.29
52.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.42$28.42
$48.79€41.76
-41.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.69€16.00
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.10$7.10
$9.06€7.76
-21.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$479$479
$607€519
-21.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K$10.6K
$16.3K€14.0K
-35.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.85$45.85
$105€89.6
-56.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.6$56.6
$40.95€35.06
38.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.5$91.5
$93.6€80.1
-2.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107$107
$119€101
-9.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,604€1,373
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,236€1,058
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,770$1,770
$3,046€2,607
-41.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,057€1,761
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$7,709€6,599
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$4,266€3,652
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toa Alta
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,584€1,356
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.78
3.81
25.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Toa Alta: April 27, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $82.0 in Toa Alta vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $271 per month, with Lisbon 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
Toa Alta vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Toa Alta and Lisbon?
Toa Alta and Lisbon differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,304 vs $2,227 including rent). Toa Alta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Toa Alta compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $1,955 in Toa Alta and $3,341 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Toa Alta or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $1,304 per month in Toa Alta versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,304 in Toa Alta versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Toa Alta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Toa Alta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Toa Alta 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 Toa Alta or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Toa Alta 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: Toa Alta or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Toa Alta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.