Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $653 in Cahul versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $965 in Cahul versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,276 in Cahul versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cahul is 52% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 MDL 154

$17.30 €14.93

-48.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MDL 419

$63.3 €54.6

-61.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MDL 190

$11.39 €9.83

-2.63%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 30.85

$3.19 €2.75

-43.57%

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

$1.14 MDL 19.59

$2.45 €2.11

-53.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.74

$1.76 €1.52

-67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 MDL 34.46

$3.59 €3.10

-44.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MDL 32.21

$3.39 €2.93

-44.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.49

$1.24 €1.07

5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MDL 8.31

$1.98 €1.71

-75.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MDL 27.61

$1.52 €1.31

5.92%

Eggs

$2.30 MDL 39.33

$4.04 €3.49

-43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 MDL 123

$13.54 €11.68

-46.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MDL 81.1

$8.39 €7.24

-43.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 MDL 108

$18.25 €15.75

-65.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MDL 18.38

$2.29 €1.98

-53.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 MDL 39.58

$1.74 €1.50

32.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.27

$1.86 €1.60

1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MDL 42.01

$2.63 €2.27

-6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.42

$1.92 €1.65

-59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MDL 8.83

$2.09 €1.81

-75.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.77

$1.44 €1.24

-68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$0.84 €0.73

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 MDL 59.1

$6.78 €5.85

-49.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MDL 80.9

$5.71 €4.93

-17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MDL 24.77

$1.38 €1.19

5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 MDL 35.46

$2.22 €1.91

-6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 MDL 48.81

$4.17 €3.60

-31.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.62

$1.14 €0.98

-76.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 MDL 97.3

$17.68 €15.26

-67.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MDL 27.29

$2.32 €2.01

-31.47%

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

$35.2K MDL 603.2K

$35.3K €30.5K

-0.30%

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

$25.5K MDL 437.3K

$41.4K €35.8K

-38.37%

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

$238 MDL 4,073

$170 €147

39.68%

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

$7.97 MDL 137

$19.34 €16.69

-58.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 MDL 197

$33.64 €29.03

-65.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 MDL 132

$9.92 €8.56

-22.38%

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

$115 MDL 1,972

$717 €619

-83.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,551 MDL 95.0K

$17.5K €15.1K

-68.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 MDL 789

$105 €90.4

-55.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 MDL 1,008

$103 €89.2

-43.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MDL 896

$124 €107

-57.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 MDL 9,011

$1,583 €1,366

-66.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

111.08%

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

Last update for Cahul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 201% 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: $24.00 in Cahul vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $283 per month, with Cahul 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

Cahul vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 255% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 201% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Cahul versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 255% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $653 in Cahul versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $653 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cahul 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 Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 255% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.