Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cosenza and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Cosenza: $1,413 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cosenza, Italy
Lisbon, Portugal
Cosenza
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,413
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,413 in Cosenza versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Cosenza $1,413
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,170 in Cosenza versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Cosenza $2,170
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,928 in Cosenza versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Cosenza $2,928
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Cosenza costs roughly 36% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cosenza 4% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 €15.29
$16.65 €14.96
2.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4 €49.74
$61.7 €55.5
-10.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.01 €9.89
$11.36 €10.20
-3.08%
Cappuccino
$1.76 €1.58
$2.97 €2.67
-40.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 €2.22
$2.29 €2.06
7.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.74 €1.56
-33.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.66 €5.09
$3.40 €3.06
66.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.34 €3.90
$3.31 €2.97
31.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.01
$1.16 €1.04
-3.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.91 €1.72
-2.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.55 €2.29
$1.51 €1.36
68.87%
Eggs
$3.33 €2.99
$4.02 €3.61
-17.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.59 €11.31
$12.94 €11.62
-2.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.02 €9.90
$7.77 €6.99
41.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.50 €13.93
$17.76 €15.96
-12.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.23
$2.30 €2.07
8.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 €1.84
$1.73 €1.56
17.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 €2.01
$1.86 €1.67
20.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 €2.92
$2.59 €2.33
25.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 €1.19
$1.82 €1.64
-27.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 €1.60
$1.97 €1.77
-9.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 €1.29
$1.47 €1.32
-2.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 €0.40
$0.72 €0.65
-38.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.64 €5.96
$6.58 €5.92
0.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.34 €5.70
$5.61 €5.04
13.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.65
$1.36 €1.22
35.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.69
$2.14 €1.92
39.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.30 €1.17
$2.33 €2.10
-44.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.81 €27.68
$44.68 €40.14
-31.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.58 €4.11
$3.85 €3.46
18.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 €1.10
$1.07 €0.96
14.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.65 €20.35
$16.46 €14.79
37.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 €1.80
$2.20 €1.98
-9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K €27.2K
$34.2K €30.7K
-11.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K €27.2K
$38.7K €34.8K
-21.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$201 €181
$161 €145
24.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.08 €8.16
$18.41 €16.54
-50.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.07 €27.91
$32.74 €29.41
-5.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.72 €41.08
$44.55 €40.03
2.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.65 €14.96
$19.10 €17.16
-12.83%
Cinema Ticket
$8.19 €7.36
$9.60 €8.62
-14.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$285 €256
$668 €600
-57.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,777 €2,495
$17.6K €15.8K
-84.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.1 €75.6
$102 €91.7
-17.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.22 €36.14
$44.46 €39.95
-9.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.9
$98.5 €88.5
3.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 €104
$124 €111
-6.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 €449
$1,608 €1,445
-68.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$378 €340
$1,190 €1,069
-68.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$931 €837
$2,812 €2,527
-66.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$653 €586
$2,013 €1,809
-67.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,752 €1,574
$7,839 €7,043
-77.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,301 €1,169
$4,576 €4,111
-71.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cosenza
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,506 €1,353
$1,575 €1,415
-4.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.08
3.85
-20.00%

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

Last update for Cosenza: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cosenza
$378
Lisbon
$1.2K 215% $812
Groceries & Markets
Cosenza
$289
Lisbon
$272 5.8% $17
Eating Out
Cosenza
$242
Lisbon
$243 0.4% $0.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cosenza
$242
Lisbon
$212 12.1% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Cosenza
$154
Lisbon
$166 7.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Cosenza
$62
Lisbon
$64 2.6% $1.6
Getting Around
Cosenza
$47
Lisbon
$63 35.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Cosenza and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 5% 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: $55 in Cosenza vs $62 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $272, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Cosenza
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
01:16 1:16 AM
00:16 12:16 AM
1 h behind Cosenza
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
63,693
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cosenza Lisbon 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cosenza
  • 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
Cosenza vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cosenza and in Lisbon?
Cosenza and Lisbon differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,413 vs $2,210 including rent). Cosenza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Cosenza. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Cosenza and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Cosenza versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Cosenza and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $285 in Cosenza versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,413 in Cosenza versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cosenza but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cosenza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cosenza 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 Cosenza or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cosenza 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.
How do I decide between Cosenza and Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Cosenza wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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