Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Westminster and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $3,124 in Westminster, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Westminster
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,124
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,124 in Westminster versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Westminster $3,124
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,299 in Westminster versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Westminster $4,299
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,473 in Westminster versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Westminster $5,473
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Westminster is roughly 42% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Westminster 131% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.48 £15.37
$17.04 €15.15
20.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.8 £64.4
$62.3 €55.4
37.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 £7.08
$11.02 €9.80
-14.43%
Cappuccino
$4.77 £3.58
$3.12 €2.78
52.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 £1.40
$2.27 €2.02
-17.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 £1.28
$1.74 €1.55
-1.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.76 £5.07
$3.42 €3.04
97.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.92 £4.44
$3.74 €3.33
58.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.17 €1.04
43.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 £1.10
$1.86 €1.66
-21.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 £1.41
$1.54 €1.37
22.08%
Eggs
$3.92 £2.94
$4.06 €3.61
-3.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.64 £6.48
$12.91 €11.49
-33.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.72 £6.54
$7.90 €7.03
10.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.08 £9.81
$17.64 €15.69
-25.85%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 £2.37
$2.26 €2.01
39.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 £1.08
$1.75 €1.55
-18.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 £1.89
$1.89 €1.68
33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 £2.10
$2.56 €2.27
8.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 £1.22
$1.85 €1.64
-12.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 £1.23
$1.97 €1.75
-17.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 £0.95
$1.45 €1.29
-12.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 £0.91
$0.77 €0.69
58.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.44 £17.58
$6.71 €5.97
249.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.11 £6.84
$5.67 €5.04
60.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 £2.08
$1.37 €1.22
102.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 £1.89
$2.11 €1.88
19.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 £2.48
$2.32 €2.07
42.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.43 €39.52
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 £3.68
$3.95 €3.51
24.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 £1.08
$1.05 €0.93
37.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.65 £17.74
$17.15 €15.26
37.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 £1.47
$2.19 €1.95
-10.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K £28.4K
$33.8K €30.0K
12.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.3K £30.3K
$38.3K €34.0K
5.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$315 £236
$164 €146
92.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.15 £10.61
$18.48 €16.43
-23.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.92 £30.70
$32.96 €29.32
24.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$120 £89.9
$45.87 €40.80
161.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.68 €16.61
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.17 £15.13
$9.75 €8.67
106.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,859 £1,395
$684 €608
171.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K £16.5K
$17.6K €15.7K
24.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 £81.0
$104 €92.3
4.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 £33.14
$46.20 €41.09
-4.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.3 £67.0
$99.7 €88.7
-10.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.3 £70.7
$125 €111
-24.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,098 £2,324
$1,589 €1,414
94.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,831 £1,374
$1,169 €1,040
56.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,848 £3,637
$2,851 €2,536
70.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,678 £2,009
$1,993 €1,773
34.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,793 €6,932
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,418 €3,930
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Westminster
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,557 £2,669
$1,600 €1,423
122.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.4
3.85
40.26%

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

Last update for Westminster: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Westminster
$1.8K
Lisbon
$1.2K 36.2% $662
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Westminster
$370
Lisbon
$215 41.9% $155
Eating Out
Westminster
$309
Lisbon
$247 20% $62
Groceries & Markets
Westminster
$277
Lisbon
$273 1.3% $3.7
Sport & Entertainment
Westminster
$160
Lisbon
$65 59.2% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Westminster
$151
Lisbon
$168 11.5% $17
Getting Around
Westminster
$25 *
Lisbon
$63 148% $38

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 $3,098 in Westminster and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Westminster pays 122% 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: $86.0 in Westminster vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Westminster
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
11:48 11:48 AM
11:48 11:48 AM
Same time as Westminster
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
247,614
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Westminster Lisbon 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Westminster
  • 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
Westminster vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Westminster and in Lisbon?
Westminster and Lisbon differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($3,124 vs $2,202 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Westminster or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 122% higher in Westminster, 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 Westminster and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,098 in Westminster versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Westminster. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Westminster or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $3,124 per month in Westminster versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 42% 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 $2,202 in Lisbon versus $3,124 in Westminster, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Westminster. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Westminster 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 Westminster or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Westminster 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: Westminster or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Westminster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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