Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bydgoszcz and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Bydgoszcz: $1,461 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bydgoszcz
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,461
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,461 in Bydgoszcz versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Bydgoszcz $1,461
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,221 in Bydgoszcz versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Bydgoszcz $2,221
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,981 in Bydgoszcz versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Bydgoszcz $2,981
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Bydgoszcz costs roughly 34% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bydgoszcz 8% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.16 zł 47.25
$17.04 €15.15
-28.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.0 zł 245
$62.3 €55.4
1.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.78 zł 30.21
$11.02 €9.80
-29.40%
Cappuccino
$3.42 zł 13.29
$3.12 €2.78
9.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 zł 8.17
$2.27 €2.02
-7.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 zł 6.61
$1.74 €1.55
-2.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 zł 15.02
$3.42 €3.04
13.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 zł 14.25
$3.74 €3.33
-1.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 zł 4.06
$1.17 €1.04
-11.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 zł 6.54
$1.86 €1.66
-9.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 zł 3.77
$1.54 €1.37
-37.01%
Eggs
$3.86 zł 14.98
$4.06 €3.61
-4.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.19 zł 35.72
$12.91 €11.49
-28.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.94 zł 26.95
$7.90 €7.03
-12.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 zł 46.52
$17.64 €15.69
-32.14%
Apples (1kg)
$1.36 zł 5.30
$2.26 €2.01
-39.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 zł 6.56
$1.75 €1.55
-3.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 zł 6.00
$1.89 €1.68
-18.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 zł 12.30
$2.56 €2.27
23.83%
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 zł 3.62
$1.85 €1.64
-49.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 zł 5.12
$1.97 €1.75
-32.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 zł 4.38
$1.45 €1.29
-22.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 zł 2.57
$0.77 €0.69
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.67 zł 22.02
$6.71 €5.97
-15.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.13 zł 31.59
$5.67 €5.04
43.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 zł 4.16
$1.37 €1.22
-21.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 zł 5.55
$2.11 €1.88
-32.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.95 zł 3.71
$2.32 €2.07
-59.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.75 zł 108
$44.43 €39.52
-37.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 zł 8.30
$3.95 €3.51
-45.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 zł 3.04
$1.05 €0.93
-25.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.08 zł 39.18
$17.15 €15.26
-41.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 zł 6.03
$2.19 €1.95
-29.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K zł 119.2K
$33.8K €30.0K
-9.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K zł 115.2K
$38.3K €34.0K
-22.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$282 zł 1,095
$164 €146
72.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.93 zł 30.83
$18.48 €16.43
-57.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87 zł 73.3
$32.96 €29.32
-42.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.69 zł 154
$45.87 €40.80
-13.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.79 zł 65.2
$18.68 €16.61
-10.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.71 zł 29.97
$9.75 €8.67
-20.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$329 zł 1,278
$684 €608
-51.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,120 zł 19.9K
$17.6K €15.7K
-70.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.1 zł 319
$104 €92.3
-20.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.18 zł 141
$46.20 €41.09
-21.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.4 zł 347
$99.7 €88.7
-10.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 zł 392
$125 €111
-19.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$678 zł 2,633
$1,589 €1,414
-57.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 zł 1,907
$1,169 €1,040
-58.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,116 zł 4,336
$2,851 €2,536
-60.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$896 zł 3,481
$1,993 €1,773
-55.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,864 zł 11.1K
$7,793 €6,932
-63.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,164 zł 8,409
$4,418 €3,930
-51.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bydgoszcz
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,497 zł 5,817
$1,600 €1,423
-6.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
3.85
78.96%

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

Last update for Bydgoszcz: 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
Bydgoszcz
$491
Lisbon
$1.2K 138% $678
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bydgoszcz
$309
Lisbon
$215 30.3% $93
Groceries & Markets
Bydgoszcz
$226
Lisbon
$273 20.8% $47
Eating Out
Bydgoszcz
$204
Lisbon
$247 21.6% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Bydgoszcz
$139
Lisbon
$168 21.3% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Bydgoszcz
$55
Lisbon
$65 18.6% $10
Getting Around
Bydgoszcz
$38
Lisbon
$63 67.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bydgoszcz and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 7% 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: $63.0 in Bydgoszcz vs $62.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $273, with Bydgoszcz cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Bydgoszcz
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
12:51 12:51 PM
11:51 11:51 AM
1 h behind Bydgoszcz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
359,428
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bydgoszcz Lisbon 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bydgoszcz
  • 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
Bydgoszcz vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bydgoszcz or Lisbon?
Bydgoszcz wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bydgoszcz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bydgoszcz or in Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 7% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bydgoszcz compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $678 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bydgoszcz and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $329 in Bydgoszcz versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bydgoszcz or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bydgoszcz or in Lisbon?
At $1,461 in Bydgoszcz versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bydgoszcz but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bydgoszcz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bydgoszcz or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bydgoszcz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,461 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bydgoszcz hard to pass up.
How safe is Bydgoszcz compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Bydgoszcz 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 Bydgoszcz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bydgoszcz vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?