Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Alexandria versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,383 in Alexandria versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Alexandria versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 62% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 38% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.31 RON 40.49

$16.17 €13.81

-42.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.78 RON 143

$64.6 €55.1

-49.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 29.29

$10.38 €8.86

-35.16%

Cappuccino

$1.86 RON 8.08

$2.77 €2.37

-32.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.60

$2.25 €1.92

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.19

$1.57 €1.34

5.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 RON 10.13

$3.49 €2.98

-33.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 11.83

$4.00 €3.42

-32.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 5.85

$1.08 €0.93

24.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$1.74 €1.49

-27.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 5.86

$1.74 €1.48

-22.41%

Eggs

$1.40 RON 6.07

$3.18 €2.71

-55.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 RON 22.69

$13.43 €11.47

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 RON 19.80

$7.99 €6.83

-43.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 RON 37.58

$16.09 €13.74

-46.30%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.19

$2.28 €1.95

-57.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 6.90

$1.72 €1.47

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.12

$1.94 €1.66

-39.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 RON 4.88

$2.54 €2.17

-55.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 RON 1.95

$1.83 €1.56

-75.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 RON 2.86

$2.04 €1.74

-67.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 RON 1.95

$1.98 €1.69

-77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 RON 2.86

$0.85 €0.73

-22.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 RON 24.71

$6.85 €5.85

-17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 RON 24.85

$5.78 €4.93

-1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 RON 2.86

$1.37 €1.17

-51.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.14

$2.90 €2.48

-67.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.87

$2.28 €1.95

-71.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 RON 100.0

$46.84 €40.00

-50.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 RON 2.06

$4.08 €3.48

-88.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 RON 1.87

$0.82 €0.70

-47.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 RON 22.59

$18.27 €15.60

-71.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.14

$2.01 €1.71

-18.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.5K RON 76.3K

$35.3K €30.1K

-50.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.7K RON 103.0K

$38.5K €32.9K

-38.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$118 RON 512

$145 €124

-19.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.76 RON 29.42

$20.96 €17.90

-67.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.84 RON 29.76

$40.05 €34.21

-82.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 RON 167

$48.79 €41.66

-21.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.32 RON 40.53

$18.69 €15.97

-50.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 RON 20.55

$9.06 €7.74

-47.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$437 RON 1,900

$607 €518

-27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,929 RON 30.1K

$16.3K €13.9K

-57.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 RON 296

$105 €89.4

-34.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 RON 149

$40.95 €34.97

-16.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 RON 306

$93.6 €79.9

-24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 RON 295

$119 €101

-42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 RON 1,495

$1,604 €1,370

-78.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,005

$1,236 €1,055

-81.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 RON 3,456

$3,046 €2,601

-73.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,528

$2,057 €1,756

-71.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,381 RON 6,005

$7,709 €6,583

-82.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$875 RON 3,804

$4,266 €3,644

-79.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 RON 5,867

$1,584 €1,353

-14.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.81

70.60%

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

Last update for Alexandria: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Alexandria and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 17% 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: $33.00 in Alexandria vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $271 per month, with Alexandria 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

Alexandria vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 166% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Lisbon earns 17% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $344 in Alexandria versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Alexandria versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 104% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Alexandria 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.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.