Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 39% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 2% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.1

$17.59 €15.33

-11.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 275

$62.9 €54.8

-4.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.58

$11.58 €10.10

-34.89%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.07

$3.10 €2.70

20.00%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$2.49 €2.17

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.55

$1.74 €1.52

32.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.26

$3.48 €3.03

14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.70

$3.44 €3.00

31.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.15 €1.00

58.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.62

$1.91 €1.66

-24.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.36

$1.50 €1.31

21.33%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.08

$3.98 €3.47

-1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.44

$13.29 €11.59

-28.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.36

$8.01 €6.98

-11.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.8

$18.04 €15.73

-32.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$2.35 €2.05

-43.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.75 €1.53

-4.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$1.85 €1.62

-11.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.83

$2.55 €2.22

9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.84 €1.61

-54.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$2.10 €1.83

-62.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$1.49 €1.30

-38.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.82 €0.71

21.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.12

$7.10 €6.19

-1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.54

$5.91 €5.15

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.31 €1.15

-5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.99

$2.13 €1.86

-18.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$2.36 €2.05

-63.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$46.62 €40.63

-52.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$4.08 €3.55

-84.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$1.14 €0.99

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.66

$17.09 €14.90

-60.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$2.31 €2.01

-14.72%

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

$29.3K RON 134.6K

$34.1K €29.7K

-14.05%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$41.4K €36.1K

-31.31%

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

$192 RON 879

$169 €147

13.66%

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

$8.51 RON 39.03

$19.33 €16.85

-55.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.28

$33.51 €29.21

-69.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 244

$48.84 €42.57

8.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$19.43 €16.94

32.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.30

$9.57 €8.34

-10.45%

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

$664 RON 3,048

$696 €607

-4.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.3K

$17.4K €15.1K

-12.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 434

$105 €91.8

-10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 188

$47.75 €41.62

-14.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$101 €87.6

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$124 €108

-20.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,283

$1,662 €1,449

-56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,158

$1,246 €1,086

-62.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,273

$2,965 €2,584

-61.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,389

$2,049 €1,786

-63.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$7,834 €6,829

-50.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$4,464 €3,892

-49.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,809

$1,632 €1,422

-9.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

3.78

78.84%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 10% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $277 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

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

Bucharest vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Lisbon differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $2,296 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Bucharest versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $2,296 in Lisbon – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 112% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,397 in Bucharest versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bucharest 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.

Expats usually find Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.