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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,476 per month in Amsterdam vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,057 per month in Amsterdam vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,639 per month in Amsterdam vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Amsterdam costs about 52% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amsterdam and Lisbon sit above the global median – Amsterdam by 160%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.49 €20.55

$16.19 €14.17

45.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 €97.8

$63.3 €55.4

76.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 €13.19

$10.32 €9.03

46.03%

Cappuccino

$4.73 €4.14

$2.83 €2.48

67.14%

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

$3.45 €3.02

$2.29 €2.00

50.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.77

$1.58 €1.38

100.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.78 €5.93

$3.40 €2.98

99.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 €6.25

$4.03 €3.52

77.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.09 €0.95

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.16

$1.75 €1.53

41.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$1.76 €1.54

48.86%

Eggs

$5.39 €4.71

$3.17 €2.77

70.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.78 €12.93

$13.19 €11.54

12.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.50

$7.97 €6.97

79.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 €14.55

$15.53 €13.59

7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$2.37 €2.07

23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.26

$1.71 €1.49

50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.92

$2.01 €1.76

8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 €4.10

$2.43 €2.13

92.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.76 €1.54

14.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.03 €1.78

0.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.14

$1.92 €1.68

-32.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.85 €0.74

44.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.37 €12.57

$6.58 €5.76

118.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 €7.02

$5.58 €4.88

43.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.33 €1.17

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.64

$2.97 €2.60

1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 €3.51

$2.28 €1.99

76.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 €103

$45.79 €40.06

157.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.16

$4.23 €3.70

12.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 €2.63

$0.81 €0.71

270.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 €57.0

$18.44 €16.13

253.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.03

$2.08 €1.82

11.54%

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

$43.3K €37.9K

$34.7K €30.3K

24.81%

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

$38.8K €33.9K

$39.2K €34.3K

-1.03%

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

$306 €268

$148 €130

106.63%

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

$21.54 €18.84

$20.46 €17.90

5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 €44.95

$39.56 €34.61

29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 €54.6

$47.99 €41.99

30.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.70 €33.85

$18.60 €16.27

108.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 €15.05

$9.22 €8.07

86.55%

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

$2,848 €2,492

$616 €539

362.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K €18.5K

$16.4K €14.4K

28.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.4

$103 €89.9

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.88 €42.77

$41.74 €36.52

17.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$94.8 €82.9

33.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €120

$122 €107

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 €2,067

$1,633 €1,428

44.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 €1,745

$1,232 €1,078

61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,197 €3,672

$3,098 €2,711

35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 €2,719

$2,031 €1,777

52.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,366

$7,831 €6,851

36.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,066 €6,182

$4,389 €3,840

60.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,465 €3,906

$1,607 €1,406

177.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

3.81

5.51%

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

Last update for Amsterdam: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,362 in Amsterdam versus $1,633 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 178% 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 $112 in Amsterdam versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $267 – 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 52%, 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 $5,214 per month in Amsterdam and $3,437 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 158% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,848 per month in Amsterdam and $616 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 $3,476 in Amsterdam and $2,291 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.