Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $886 per month in Bacau vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Bacau vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,063 per month in Bacau vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bacau is about 60% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bacau sits 34% below the global median, while Lisbon is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 RON 50.5

$16.17 €13.81

-28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 RON 203

$64.6 €55.1

-27.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 RON 35.36

$10.38 €8.86

-21.68%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 9.89

$2.77 €2.37

-18.05%

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

$2.14 RON 9.29

$2.25 €1.92

-4.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RON 7.92

$1.57 €1.34

15.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 9.91

$3.49 €2.98

-34.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 RON 15.37

$4.00 €3.42

-11.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.02

$1.08 €0.93

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 RON 3.70

$1.74 €1.49

-51.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.43

$1.74 €1.48

-1.72%

Eggs

$3.66 RON 15.92

$3.18 €2.71

15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 RON 37.40

$13.43 €11.47

-35.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 RON 27.96

$7.99 €6.83

-19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 RON 39.82

$16.09 €13.74

-43.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.30

$2.28 €1.95

-46.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.06

$1.72 €1.47

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 RON 7.29

$1.94 €1.66

-13.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 7.99

$2.54 €2.17

-27.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.17

$1.83 €1.56

-47.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 3.88

$2.04 €1.74

-56.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.14

$1.98 €1.69

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.45

$0.85 €0.73

-7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 RON 25.50

$6.85 €5.85

-14.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 RON 30.57

$5.78 €4.93

21.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.08

$1.37 €1.17

-31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.57

$2.90 €2.48

-55.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 RON 2.81

$2.28 €1.95

-71.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.34 RON 141

$46.84 €40.00

-30.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.72

$4.08 €3.48

-84.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.84

$0.82 €0.70

-20.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 32.38

$18.27 €15.60

-59.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$2.01 €1.71

-23.88%

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

$28.4K RON 123.6K

$35.3K €30.1K

-19.41%

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

$26.2K RON 114.1K

$38.5K €32.9K

-31.85%

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

$114 RON 498

$145 €124

-21.34%

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

$8.38 RON 36.47

$20.96 €17.90

-60.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.07 RON 22.07

$40.05 €34.21

-87.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.14 RON 109

$48.79 €41.66

-48.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.01 RON 100

$18.69 €15.97

23.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 RON 28.23

$9.06 €7.74

-28.37%

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

$643 RON 2,798

$607 €518

6.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,453 RON 23.7K

$16.3K €13.9K

-66.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 404

$105 €89.4

-11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 RON 150

$40.95 €34.97

-15.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 271

$93.6 €79.9

-33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 RON 417

$119 €101

-19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 RON 1,420

$1,604 €1,370

-79.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 RON 793

$1,236 €1,055

-85.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 RON 2,185

$3,046 €2,601

-83.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,572

$2,057 €1,756

-82.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,930 RON 8,396

$7,709 €6,583

-74.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,279 RON 5,565

$4,266 €3,644

-70.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 RON 4,609

$1,584 €1,353

-33.11%

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 Bacau: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Bacau versus $1,604 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 50% higher in Lisbon, 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 $47.00 in Bacau versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $271 – making Bacau 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

Bacau vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 151%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,329 per month in Bacau and $3,341 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Bacau and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $886 in Bacau and $2,227 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – 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 Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.