Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonn and Lisbon

For one person, living costs are similar in Bonn and in Lisbon: $2,286 and $2,223 a month, rent and utilities included.

Bonn
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,286
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,286 in Bonn versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Bonn $2,286
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,447 in Bonn versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Bonn $3,447
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,608 in Bonn versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Bonn $4,608
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Bonn is roughly 3% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bonn 69% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 €15.61
$16.50 €14.67
6.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.2 €68.7
$61.3 €54.5
26.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.39 €11.02
$11.27 €10.02
9.94%
Cappuccino
$4.27 €3.80
$3.06 €2.72
39.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 €2.91
$2.26 €2.01
44.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.19
$1.73 €1.54
42.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.50 €4.89
$3.39 €3.02
62.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10 €3.65
$3.40 €3.02
20.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.12 €1.00
25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.81 €2.50
$1.86 €1.65
51.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.03 €3.59
$1.53 €1.36
163.40%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.52
$3.96 €3.53
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.13 €12.57
$12.76 €11.35
10.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$7.90 €7.02
34.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.18 €24.17
$16.97 €15.09
60.16%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 €3.02
$2.27 €2.02
49.34%
Banana (1kg)
$2.56 €2.28
$1.75 €1.55
46.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.85 €1.64
21.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.29 €4.71
$2.57 €2.28
105.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.23 €1.98
$1.86 €1.65
19.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 €1.51
$2.02 €1.80
-15.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.60 €1.42
$1.44 €1.28
11.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$0.82 €0.73
54.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96 €8.86
$6.56 €5.83
51.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 €5.53
$5.62 €5.00
10.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.28 €1.14
-1.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.63
$2.07 €1.84
-11.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.45 €3.96
$2.35 €2.09
89.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.2 €62.5
$44.18 €39.29
58.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 €2.60
$3.99 €3.55
-26.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 €1.81
$1.09 €0.97
87.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.98 €27.56
$16.64 €14.80
86.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.28 €2.03
3.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$33.7K €30.0K
-4.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.4K
$39.3K €34.9K
-1.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$334 €297
$167 €149
99.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.09 €22.32
$18.80 €16.72
33.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.50 €35.13
$33.09 €29.43
19.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.25 €39.36
$46.01 €40.92
-3.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$32.22 €28.65
$19.19 €17.07
67.90%
Cinema Ticket
$15.39 €13.68
$9.84 €8.75
56.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$542 €482
$677 €602
-19.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.6K €12.1K
$16.9K €15.0K
-19.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.5 €64.5
$101 €90.0
-28.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.39 €34.15
$45.76 €40.70
-16.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.0
$100.0 €88.9
5.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 €101
$123 €109
-7.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,031 €917
$1,614 €1,435
-36.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$903 €803
$1,197 €1,065
-24.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,147 €1,910
$2,862 €2,545
-24.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,612 €1,433
$1,990 €1,770
-19.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,242 €5,552
$7,577 €6,739
-17.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,364 €3,881
$4,307 €3,831
1.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bonn
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,525 €3,135
$1,588 €1,412
122.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
3.85
2.86%

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

Last update for Bonn: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bonn
$903
Lisbon
$1.2K 32.6% $294
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonn
$398
Lisbon
$219 44.9% $179
Groceries & Markets
Bonn
$373
Lisbon
$269 27.8% $104
Eating Out
Bonn
$287
Lisbon
$242 15.7% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Bonn
$149
Lisbon
$166 11.9% $18
Getting Around
Bonn
$101
Lisbon
$63 37.7% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Bonn
$75
Lisbon
$66 12.4% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,031 in Bonn and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bonn pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $77.0 in Bonn vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Bonn
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
13:33 1:33 PM
12:33 12:33 PM
1 h behind Bonn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
335,913
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bonn Lisbon 1,850 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bonn
  • 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
Bonn vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bonn or Lisbon?
Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Bonn. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bonn or in Lisbon?
Average pay runs 122% higher in Bonn, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bonn compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,031 in Bonn versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bonn and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $542 in Bonn versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bonn or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Bonn. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Bonn or in Lisbon?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,286 in Bonn, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Bonn. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bonn or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.
How safe is Bonn compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Bonn and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Bonn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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