Cost of Living Comparison Between Bielefeld and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bielefeld and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,967 per month in Bielefeld vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,035 per month in Bielefeld vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,104 per month in Bielefeld vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bielefeld is about 14% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bielefeld and Lisbon sit above the global median – Bielefeld by 47%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 €12.10

$16.19 €14.15

-14.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 €68.0

$63.3 €55.3

22.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 €10.85

$10.32 €9.02

20.25%

Cappuccino

$3.83 €3.34

$2.83 €2.47

35.34%

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

$2.91 €2.54

$2.29 €2.00

27.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.05

$1.58 €1.38

48.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 €4.59

$3.40 €2.97

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 €4.62

$4.03 €3.52

31.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.09 €0.95

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.87

$1.75 €1.53

22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 €2.93

$1.76 €1.54

90.34%

Eggs

$3.80 €3.32

$3.17 €2.77

19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 €13.12

$13.19 €11.53

13.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.00 €13.11

$7.97 €6.96

88.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.26 €16.83

$15.53 €13.57

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.83

$2.37 €2.07

36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.71 €1.49

4.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 €1.96

$2.01 €1.75

11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 €4.68

$2.43 €2.12

120.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.76 €1.54

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 €1.36

$2.03 €1.78

-23.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.92 €1.68

4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.91

$0.85 €0.74

22.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 €8.74

$6.58 €5.75

52.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €4.91

$5.58 €4.87

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.98

$1.33 €1.16

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.97 €2.60

-41.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 €3.16

$2.28 €1.99

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 €50.3

$45.79 €40.01

25.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 €6.36

$4.23 €3.69

72.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.81

$0.81 €0.71

155.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 €45.17

$18.44 €16.11

180.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.08 €1.82

-4.33%

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

$31.1K €27.2K

$34.7K €30.3K

-10.16%

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

$37.1K €32.4K

$39.2K €34.2K

-5.36%

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

$322 €282

$148 €129

117.78%

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

$36.64 €32.01

$20.46 €17.88

79.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 €48.09

$39.56 €34.56

39.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.03 €34.98

$47.99 €41.93

-16.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 €19.85

$18.60 €16.25

22.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 €13.05

$9.22 €8.06

61.93%

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

$675 €590

$616 €538

9.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €9,129

$16.4K €14.4K

-36.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 €72.0

$103 €89.7

-19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.04 €30.61

$41.74 €36.47

-16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.9

$94.8 €82.8

20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €131

$122 €107

22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 €518

$1,633 €1,426

-63.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 €531

$1,232 €1,077

-50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 €905

$3,098 €2,707

-66.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 €1,012

$2,031 €1,775

-43.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,736 €4,138

$7,831 €6,842

-39.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 €2,008

$4,389 €3,835

-47.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,922 €2,553

$1,607 €1,404

81.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.81

3.94%

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

Last update for Bielefeld: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $593 in Bielefeld 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 82% higher in Bielefeld, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Bielefeld versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 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

Bielefeld vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 17% more than Bielefeld, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,950 per month in Bielefeld 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 Bielefeld, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Bielefeld and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bielefeld, where all-in costs run around $1,967, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Bielefeld it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bielefeld – 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 Bielefeld. 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.