Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alkmaar and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,394 in Alkmaar, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Alkmaar despite lower rent and utilities.

Alkmaar
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,394
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,394 in Alkmaar versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Alkmaar $2,394
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,536 in Alkmaar versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Alkmaar $3,536
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,677 in Alkmaar versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Alkmaar $4,677
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Alkmaar is roughly 9% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alkmaar 77% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.74 €26.45
$17.04 €15.15
74.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.1 €78.3
$62.3 €55.4
41.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.67 €13.05
$11.02 €9.80
33.12%
Cappuccino
$3.96 €3.52
$3.12 €2.78
26.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 €2.83
$2.27 €2.02
40.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.74 €1.55
41.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.75 €5.12
$3.42 €3.04
68.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 €4.06
$3.74 €3.33
22.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 €1.27
$1.17 €1.04
22.22%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 €2.10
$1.86 €1.66
27.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.45 €3.07
$1.54 €1.37
124.03%
Eggs
$4.90 €4.36
$4.06 €3.61
20.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.23 €12.66
$12.91 €11.49
10.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.08 €13.41
$7.90 €7.03
90.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.85 €14.99
$17.64 €15.69
-4.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.26
$2.26 €2.01
12.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.75 €1.55
41.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 €1.64
$1.89 €1.68
-2.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 €3.78
$2.56 €2.27
66.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.85 €1.64
4.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$1.97 €1.75
9.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 €1.13
$1.45 €1.29
-11.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.71
$0.77 €0.69
3.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.78 €11.37
$6.71 €5.97
90.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.89 €6.13
$5.67 €5.04
21.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.37 €1.22
-2.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.11 €1.88
3.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.32 €2.07
-5.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.9 €51.5
$44.43 €39.52
30.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 €2.44
$3.95 €3.51
-30.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.05 €0.93
55.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.82 €22.07
$17.15 €15.26
44.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 €1.99
$2.19 €1.95
2.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.3K €36.7K
$33.8K €30.0K
22.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.4K
$38.3K €34.0K
0.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$242 €216
$164 €146
47.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.63 €18.35
$18.48 €16.43
11.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.41 €41.28
$32.96 €29.32
40.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.05 €40.96
$45.87 €40.80
0.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.11 €5.44
$18.68 €16.61
-67.29%
Cinema Ticket
$15.00 €13.34
$9.75 €8.67
53.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$726 €645
$684 €608
6.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,393 €2,128
$17.6K €15.7K
-86.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 €103
$104 €92.3
11.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.67 €41.51
$46.20 €41.09
1.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €97.3
$99.7 €88.7
9.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$125 €111
-5.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$778 €692
$1,589 €1,414
-51.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,020 €907
$1,169 €1,040
-12.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,855 €2,539
$2,851 €2,536
0.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 €1,401
$1,993 €1,773
-20.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,974 €4,424
$7,793 €6,932
-36.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,169 €3,709
$4,418 €3,930
-5.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alkmaar
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,317 €2,950
$1,600 €1,423
107.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
3.85
3.90%

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

Last update for Alkmaar: October 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alkmaar
$1K
Lisbon
$1.2K 14.6% $149
Eating Out
Alkmaar
$390
Lisbon
$247 36.5% $142
Groceries & Markets
Alkmaar
$346
Lisbon
$273 21.1% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alkmaar
$309
Lisbon
$215 30.4% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Alkmaar
$176
Lisbon
$168 4.1% $7.3
Getting Around
Alkmaar
$78
Lisbon
$63 18.9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Alkmaar
$76
Lisbon
$65 14% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $778 in Alkmaar and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alkmaar pays 107% 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: $88.0 in Alkmaar vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Alkmaar
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
13:57 1:57 PM
12:57 12:57 PM
1 h behind Alkmaar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
111,834
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alkmaar Lisbon 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Alkmaar
  • 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
Alkmaar vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Alkmaar or Lisbon?
Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Alkmaar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Alkmaar or in Lisbon?
Average pay runs 107% higher in Alkmaar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Alkmaar compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $778 in Alkmaar versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Alkmaar compared to Lisbon?
A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 30% less than in Alkmaar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Alkmaar and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $726 in Alkmaar versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Alkmaar or in Lisbon?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,394 in Alkmaar, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Alkmaar. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Alkmaar or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,202 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.
How safe is Alkmaar compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Alkmaar 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Alkmaar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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