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: $697 in Cahul versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cahul versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Cahul versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cahul is 48% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 148

$15.91 €13.69

-45.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 MDL 627

$64.8 €55.7

-43.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$10.51 €9.04

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.31

$2.87 €2.47

-34.49%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.93

$2.24 €1.93

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.73

$1.50 €1.29

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 30.60

$3.49 €3.00

-49.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 39.87

$3.88 €3.34

-40.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.13

$1.14 €0.98

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.96

$1.75 €1.51

-70.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.88

$1.76 €1.51

-17.61%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.56

$3.22 €2.77

-19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MDL 180

$13.49 €11.61

-22.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.3

$7.91 €6.81

-29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MDL 155

$15.87 €13.65

-43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.55

$2.31 €1.99

-61.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.30

$1.70 €1.46

7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.66

$2.01 €1.73

-13.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MDL 36.73

$2.46 €2.12

-13.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.20

$1.84 €1.59

-54.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.12

$2.00 €1.72

-70.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.25

$1.93 €1.66

-30.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.05

$0.79 €0.68

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$6.61 €5.68

-52.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.7

$5.72 €4.92

-16.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.62

$1.37 €1.17

-8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.10

$2.97 €2.56

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.83

$4.29 €3.69

-51.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.82 €0.70

-67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 89.5

$18.30 €15.74

-71.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.32

$2.06 €1.78

-31.55%

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

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

$34.3K €29.5K

-7.59%

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

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

$39.3K €33.8K

-20.27%

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

$173 MDL 2,969

$148 €127

16.80%

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

$7.41 MDL 127

$20.52 €17.65

-63.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 MDL 186

$39.61 €34.08

-72.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 129

$9.18 €7.90

-18.41%

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

$384 MDL 6,606

$614 €528

-37.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

$16.0K €13.8K

-52.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MDL 1,128

$105 €90.0

-37.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 937

$42.06 €36.18

29.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,972

$94.0 €80.8

22.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,113

$120 €103

2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 MDL 8,999

$1,603 €1,379

-67.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

3.81

142.52%

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

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 206% 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: $36.00 in Cahul vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $269 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 217% 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, Lisbon earns 206% less. 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 40% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $697 per month in Cahul versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 217% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $2,210 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 $697 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 217% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.