Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Békéscsaba and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Békéscsaba: $1,125 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Békéscsaba
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,125
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,125 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,202 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Békéscsaba $1,125
  • Lisbon $2,202

A couple spends around $1,647 per month in Békéscsaba vs $3,274 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Békéscsaba $1,647
  • Lisbon $3,274

A family of three spends $2,169 per month in Békéscsaba vs $4,346 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Békéscsaba $2,169
  • Lisbon $4,346

Békéscsaba is about 49% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Békéscsaba sits 17% below the global median, while Lisbon is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.00 Ft 2,906
$17.04 €15.15
-47.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.36 Ft 14.7K
$62.3 €55.4
-27.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.51 Ft 1,779
$11.02 €9.80
-50.00%
Cappuccino
$2.22 Ft 718
$3.12 €2.78
-28.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Ft 446
$2.27 €2.02
-39.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 Ft 286
$1.74 €1.55
-49.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.10 Ft 354
$3.42 €3.04
-67.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 Ft 395
$3.74 €3.33
-67.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 Ft 387
$1.17 €1.04
2.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 Ft 475
$1.86 €1.66
-20.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 Ft 706
$1.54 €1.37
42.21%
Eggs
$3.23 Ft 1,044
$4.06 €3.61
-20.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.88 Ft 3,193
$12.91 €11.49
-23.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.75 Ft 2,182
$7.90 €7.03
-14.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.52 Ft 4,692
$17.64 €15.69
-17.69%
Apples (1kg)
$1.94 Ft 628
$2.26 €2.01
-14.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 Ft 659
$1.75 €1.55
16.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 Ft 509
$1.89 €1.68
-16.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.86 Ft 924
$2.56 €2.27
11.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 323
$1.85 €1.64
-45.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 Ft 326
$1.97 €1.75
-48.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Ft 344
$1.45 €1.29
-26.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 Ft 155
$0.77 €0.69
-37.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.97 Ft 2,575
$6.71 €5.97
18.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.08 Ft 995
$5.67 €5.04
-45.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 Ft 338
$1.37 €1.22
-23.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 Ft 690
$2.11 €1.88
0.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 Ft 410
$2.32 €2.07
-45.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.43 €39.52
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 Ft 883
$3.95 €3.51
-30.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 Ft 431
$1.05 €0.93
26.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.28 Ft 2,028
$17.15 €15.26
-63.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 Ft 599
$2.19 €1.95
-15.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K Ft 9.3M
$33.8K €30.0K
-15.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K Ft 11.2M
$38.3K €34.0K
-9.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 Ft 56.1K
$164 €146
5.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.76 Ft 7,675
$18.48 €16.43
28.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.51 Ft 6,949
$32.96 €29.32
-34.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.92 Ft 11.0K
$45.87 €40.80
-26.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.68 €16.61
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 Ft 3,058
$9.75 €8.67
-2.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$548 Ft 176.9K
$684 €608
-19.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K Ft 5.5M
$17.6K €15.7K
-3.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.1 Ft 32.0K
$104 €92.3
-4.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.41 Ft 10.1K
$46.20 €41.09
-32.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.5 Ft 19.9K
$99.7 €88.7
-38.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 Ft 38.2K
$125 €111
-5.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$425 Ft 137.5K
$1,589 €1,414
-73.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$338 Ft 109.3K
$1,169 €1,040
-71.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$557 Ft 179.9K
$2,851 €2,536
-80.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$435 Ft 140.6K
$1,993 €1,773
-78.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,526 Ft 493.1K
$7,793 €6,932
-80.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,197 Ft 386.7K
$4,418 €3,930
-72.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Békéscsaba
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,398 Ft 451.8K
$1,600 €1,423
-12.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
3.85
67.53%

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

Last update for Békéscsaba: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Békéscsaba
$338
Lisbon
$1.2K 246% $831
Groceries & Markets
Békéscsaba
$229
Lisbon
$273 19.4% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Békéscsaba
$219
Lisbon
$215 1.6% $3.6
Clothing & Footwear
Békéscsaba
$140
Lisbon
$168 20.7% $29
Eating Out
Békéscsaba
$132
Lisbon
$247 87.3% $115
Sport & Entertainment
Békéscsaba
$53
Lisbon
$65 23.7% $13
Getting Around
Békéscsaba
$14 *
Lisbon
$63 335% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Békéscsaba versus $1,589 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 14% 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 $45.00 in Békéscsaba versus $62.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $273 – making Békéscsaba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Békéscsaba
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
15:56 3:56 PM
14:56 2:56 PM
1 h behind Békéscsaba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,460
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Békéscsaba Lisbon 2,610 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Békéscsaba
  • 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
Békéscsaba vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Békéscsaba or Lisbon?
Lisbon costs about 96% more than Békéscsaba, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Békéscsaba and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,687 per month in Békéscsaba and $3,302 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Békéscsaba or Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Békéscsaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Békéscsaba and in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Békéscsaba and $62.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Békéscsaba or in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Békéscsaba or in Lisbon?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,125, than in Lisbon at $2,202. In Békéscsaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Békéscsaba or Lisbon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Békéscsaba costs $1,125 versus $2,202 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Békéscsaba compared to Lisbon?
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.
Should I move to Békéscsaba or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Békéscsaba. 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.

Békéscsaba vs other spots: cost of living compared

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