Cost of living comparison
Pick two cities and see what each line of your monthly budget actually costs.
Is Lisbon cheaper than Tokyo?
Lisbon is about 39% cheaper to live in than Tokyo. A solo resident spends roughly $1,921 per month in Lisbon versus $2,670 in Tokyo, covering a central one-bedroom, food, local transport and a part-time coworking desk.
| Expense | Lisbon | Tokyo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed central | $1,110/mo | $1,530/mo | +38% |
| Mid-range hotel night | $72 | $99 | +38% |
| Restaurant meal, one person | $14 | $20 | +43% |
| Groceries, one person | $55/week | $76/week | +38% |
| Public transport ride | $1.8 | $2.5 | +39% |
| Monthly transit pass | $49/mo | $68/mo | +39% |
| Coffee | $2.9 | $4 | +38% |
| Coworking hot desk | $210/mo | $290/mo | +38% |
| Travel budget, mid-range | $130/day | $180/day | +38% |
| Total monthly living | $1,921 | $2,670 | +39% |
Cost of living questions, answered
How do you calculate cost of living for each city?add
Every city starts from the mid-range daily travel budget published on its TravelOS guide. That anchor is expanded into rent, groceries, restaurant, transport, coffee and coworking line items using ratios observed across our sample cities, then rounded. Figures are 2026 estimates in USD for one person, not live market prices.
What is a realistic monthly budget for a digital nomad?add
Across the cities in this tool, a solo remote worker renting a central one-bedroom, cooking about half their meals and using public transport spends roughly the rent figure plus 50–70%. In cheaper Asian and Latin American cities that lands near $1,200–$1,800/month; in Tokyo, Zurich or Singapore it is $3,000+.
Which is cheaper to live in, Lisbon or Barcelona?add
Use the comparison above — pick both cities and the tool shows the percentage difference on rent, food, transport and total monthly living cost. Historically Lisbon runs slightly cheaper on rent while Barcelona is marginally cheaper on groceries.
Does this include flights or insurance?add
No. The figures cover living costs on the ground: housing, food, local transport, coffee and a coworking desk. Flights, travel insurance, visas and eSIM data are separate — use the TravelOS trip budget calculator for a full trip total.
How often are the numbers updated?add
The cost model was last reviewed on 2026-07-01. Anchors are re-checked whenever the underlying city guide changes, and the review date is shown on every city page.