Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Busto Arsizio and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Busto Arsizio: $1,828 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Busto Arsizio
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,828
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,828 in Busto Arsizio versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Busto Arsizio $1,828
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,845 in Busto Arsizio versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Busto Arsizio $2,845
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,863 in Busto Arsizio versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Busto Arsizio $3,863
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Busto Arsizio costs roughly 17% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busto Arsizio 35% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.53 €20.04
$17.04 €15.15
32.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.8 €80.7
$62.3 €55.4
45.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 €9.96
$11.02 €9.80
1.63%
Cappuccino
$2.24 €1.99
$3.12 €2.78
-28.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.94
$2.27 €2.02
45.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.74 €1.55
-18.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.69 €5.95
$3.42 €3.04
95.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.00 €5.33
$3.74 €3.33
60.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.17 €1.04
31.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.35 €2.09
$1.86 €1.66
26.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 €3.02
$1.54 €1.37
120.78%
Eggs
$4.91 €4.36
$4.06 €3.61
20.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 €15.74
$12.91 €11.49
37.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.86 €12.33
$7.90 €7.03
75.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.01 €19.58
$17.64 €15.69
24.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 €2.45
$2.26 €2.01
22.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.75 €1.55
8.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.50 €2.22
$1.89 €1.68
32.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$2.56 €2.27
27.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.65 €1.46
$1.85 €1.64
-10.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.97 €1.75
3.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.45 €1.29
-20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 €0.58
$0.77 €0.69
-15.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.74 €6.89
$6.71 €5.97
15.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.03 €4.48
$5.67 €5.04
-11.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.37 €1.22
11.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 €1.42
$2.11 €1.88
-24.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 €1.53
$2.32 €2.07
-25.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.93 €38.18
$44.43 €39.52
-3.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.01 €3.56
$3.95 €3.51
1.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.05 €0.93
115.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.57 €35.19
$17.15 €15.26
130.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.19 €1.95
-3.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K €31.9K
$33.8K €30.0K
6.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K €30.9K
$38.3K €34.0K
-9.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$198 €176
$164 €146
20.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.01 €10.68
$18.48 €16.43
-35.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.37 €24.35
$32.96 €29.32
-16.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.00 €27.57
$45.87 €40.80
-32.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.68 €16.61
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.18 €9.94
$9.75 €8.67
14.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$902 €802
$684 €608
31.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,092 €6,309
$17.6K €15.7K
-59.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 €80.2
$104 €92.3
-13.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.02 €24.93
$46.20 €41.09
-39.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €96.1
$99.7 €88.7
8.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 €122
$125 €111
9.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,279 €1,138
$1,589 €1,414
-19.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$649 €577
$1,169 €1,040
-44.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,961 €1,744
$2,851 €2,536
-31.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 €966
$1,993 €1,773
-45.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,535 €2,255
$7,793 €6,932
-67.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,576 €1,402
$4,418 €3,930
-64.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Busto Arsizio
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,194 €1,952
$1,600 €1,423
37.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.65
3.85
-5.19%

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

Last update for Busto Arsizio: 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
Busto Arsizio
$649
Lisbon
$1.2K 80.2% $520
Groceries & Markets
Busto Arsizio
$354
Lisbon
$273 23% $81
Eating Out
Busto Arsizio
$305
Lisbon
$247 18.9% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Busto Arsizio
$237
Lisbon
$215 9.4% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Busto Arsizio
$163
Lisbon
$168 3% $5
Getting Around
Busto Arsizio
$65
Lisbon
$63 3.3% $2.2
Sport & Entertainment
Busto Arsizio
$53
Lisbon
$65 22.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,279 in Busto Arsizio and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busto Arsizio pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in Busto Arsizio vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Busto Arsizio
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
17:19 5:19 PM
16:19 4:19 PM
1 h behind Busto Arsizio
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
83,094
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Busto Arsizio Lisbon 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Busto Arsizio
  • 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
Busto Arsizio vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Busto Arsizio and in Lisbon?
Busto Arsizio and Lisbon differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,828 vs $2,202 including rent). Busto Arsizio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Busto Arsizio or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 37% higher in Busto Arsizio, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Busto Arsizio and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,279 in Busto Arsizio versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Busto Arsizio – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Busto Arsizio or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $1,828 per month in Busto Arsizio versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,828 in Busto Arsizio versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Busto Arsizio but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Busto Arsizio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Busto Arsizio and Lisbon?
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.
Is Busto Arsizio or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Busto Arsizio 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.
Where should expats move: Busto Arsizio or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Busto Arsizio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Busto Arsizio vs other spots: cost of living compared

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