Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Amsterdam and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,440 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,964 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,488 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 49% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Lisbon sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 150%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €19.80

$17.30 €14.87

33.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.1

$63.3 €54.4

49.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.79

$11.39 €9.79

30.64%

Cappuccino

$4.54 €3.91

$3.19 €2.74

42.32%

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

$4.02 €3.46

$2.45 €2.10

64.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.71

$1.76 €1.52

79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 €6.52

$3.59 €3.09

111.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.08

$3.39 €2.92

74.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.24 €1.06

23.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.12

$1.98 €1.71

24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.52 €1.31

69.08%

Eggs

$5.20 €4.47

$4.04 €3.47

28.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.46 €15.01

$13.54 €11.64

28.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €11.90

$8.39 €7.21

65.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.63 €18.59

$18.25 €15.69

18.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.61

$2.29 €1.97

32.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 €2.56

$1.74 €1.50

71.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$1.86 €1.60

37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 €3.63

$2.63 €2.26

60.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.92 €1.65

36.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$2.09 €1.80

-23.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.44 €1.24

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.84 €0.72

103.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 €12.73

$6.78 €5.83

118.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 €7.70

$5.71 €4.91

56.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.38 €1.18

26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.22

$2.22 €1.91

16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.45

$2.40 €2.06

67.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €102

$46.78 €40.22

152.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.10

$4.17 €3.59

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 €2.93

$1.14 €0.98

199.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.05

$17.68 €15.20

124.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 €2.17

$2.32 €2.00

8.62%

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

$43.1K €37.0K

$35.3K €30.4K

21.96%

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

$40.3K €34.6K

$41.4K €35.6K

-2.75%

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

$310 €266

$170 €146

81.81%

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

$23.16 €19.91

$19.34 €16.62

19.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 €46.74

$33.64 €28.92

61.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 €54.7

$48.10 €41.35

32.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.79 €30.77

$19.90 €17.11

79.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 €14.97

$9.92 €8.53

75.50%

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

$2,897 €2,490

$717 €617

303.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K €15.2K

$17.5K €15.0K

0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 €85.2

$105 €90.1

-5.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 €34.32

$46.95 €40.36

-14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.2

$103 €88.9

-1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$124 €107

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,597 €2,233

$1,677 €1,441

54.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 €1,647

$1,271 €1,093

50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,970 €3,413

$2,985 €2,566

33.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,964 €2,549

$1,992 €1,713

48.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,329

$7,826 €6,728

38.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,031 €6,044

$4,658 €4,004

50.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,619 €3,971

$1,583 €1,361

191.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.79

-11.35%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,597 in Amsterdam versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 192% higher in Amsterdam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Amsterdam versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $283 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Amsterdam vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Amsterdam is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,160 per month in Amsterdam and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 153% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,897 per month in Amsterdam and $717 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,440 in Amsterdam and $2,316 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amsterdam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.