Cost of Living Comparison Between Toowoomba and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Toowoomba and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,152 in Toowoomba versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,974 in Toowoomba versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Toowoomba versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Toowoomba costs roughly 7% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toowoomba 57% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.01 A$23.79
$17.30 €14.92
-1.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.5 A$106
$63.3 €54.6
19.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 A$13.51
$11.39 €9.83
-15.19%
Cappuccino
$3.81 A$5.33
$3.19 €2.75
19.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 A$3.91
$2.45 €2.11
13.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 A$3.39
$1.76 €1.52
37.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.99 A$9.78
$3.59 €3.10
94.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.28 A$10.19
$3.39 €2.93
114.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 A$2.37
$1.24 €1.07
36.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.43 A$3.40
$1.98 €1.71
22.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 A$2.70
$1.52 €1.31
26.97%
Eggs
$4.77 A$6.67
$4.04 €3.49
18.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.12 A$12.75
$13.54 €11.68
-32.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.18 A$12.84
$8.39 €7.23
9.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 A$17.10
$18.25 €15.74
-32.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.27 A$4.58
$2.29 €1.97
42.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 A$2.52
$1.74 €1.50
3.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 A$2.04
$1.86 €1.60
-21.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 A$2.93
$2.63 €2.27
-20.15%
Potato (1kg)
$2.56 A$3.58
$1.92 €1.65
33.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 A$3.19
$2.09 €1.81
9.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.37 A$3.32
$1.44 €1.24
64.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 A$1.48
$0.84 €0.73
26.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$36.13 A$50.5
$6.78 €5.85
432.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.20 A$19.87
$5.71 €4.93
148.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.69 A$6.56
$1.38 €1.19
239.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 A$9.49
$2.22 €1.91
205.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.10 A$4.33
$2.40 €2.07
29.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$46.78 €40.35
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 A$3.03
$4.17 €3.60
-47.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 A$2.24
$1.14 €0.98
40.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.47 A$49.61
$17.68 €15.25
100.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 A$1.81
$2.32 €2.00
-43.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K A$38.4K
$35.3K €30.5K
-22.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K A$33.6K
$41.4K €35.7K
-42.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.2 A$107
$170 €147
-55.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.74 A$42.99
$19.34 €16.68
58.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.9 A$76.7
$33.64 €29.01
63.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.29 A$59.2
$48.10 €41.48
-12.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.80 A$24.90
$19.90 €17.16
-10.55%
Cinema Ticket
$14.37 A$20.10
$9.92 €8.56
44.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,174 A$3,041
$717 €619
203.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,245 A$10.1K
$17.5K €15.1K
-58.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.1 A$108
$105 €90.4
-26.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 A$79.1
$46.95 €40.49
20.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.2 A$109
$103 €89.2
-24.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 A$175
$124 €107
0.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,240 A$1,734
$1,677 €1,446
-26.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,166 A$1,631
$1,271 €1,096
-8.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 A$2,267
$2,985 €2,574
-45.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,456 A$2,037
$1,992 €1,718
-26.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,563 A$4,984
$7,826 €6,750
-54.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,720 A$3,804
$4,658 €4,017
-41.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toowoomba
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,010 A$5,609
$1,583 €1,365
153.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.73
3.79
51.19%

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

Last update for Toowoomba: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Toowoomba and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toowoomba pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Toowoomba vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $283 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
Toowoomba vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Toowoomba and in Lisbon?
Toowoomba and Lisbon differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,152 vs $2,316 including rent). Toowoomba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Toowoomba or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 153% higher in Toowoomba, 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 Toowoomba and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,240 in Toowoomba versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Toowoomba or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $2,152 per month in Toowoomba versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,152 in Toowoomba versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Toowoomba but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Toowoomba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Toowoomba 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: Toowoomba or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Toowoomba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Toowoomba vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities