Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Craiova versus $2,322 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,791 in Craiova versus $3,409 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,370 in Craiova versus $4,496 in Lisbon.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 48% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Craiova is 12% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 RON 35.07

$17.10 €14.63

-54.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 RON 166

$64.1 €54.8

-42.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 RON 34.85

$11.71 €10.02

-33.73%

Cappuccino

$2.88 RON 12.93

$3.14 €2.69

-8.28%

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

$2.39 RON 10.74

$2.51 €2.14

-4.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.42

$1.66 €1.42

12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 RON 10.97

$3.51 €3.01

-30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RON 16.37

$3.37 €2.88

8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.25

$1.16 €0.99

19.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 RON 3.80

$2.02 €1.73

-57.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.70

$1.58 €1.35

-5.70%

Eggs

$3.51 RON 15.75

$4.05 €3.46

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 RON 35.00

$12.81 €10.96

-39.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 30.75

$8.02 €6.86

-14.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 RON 53.9

$17.03 €14.57

-29.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.50

$2.38 €2.03

-57.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.00

$1.83 €1.57

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.84

$1.99 €1.71

-23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.20

$2.67 €2.28

-31.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.71

$1.90 €1.63

-56.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.29

$1.97 €1.69

-51.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.22

$1.43 €1.23

-49.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.62

$0.91 €0.78

-10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 RON 29.68

$6.82 €5.84

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 28.94

$5.73 €4.90

12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.15

$1.33 €1.14

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 RON 6.96

$2.13 €1.83

-27.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.08

$2.40 €2.05

-62.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.66 RON 120

$45.94 €39.30

-41.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.01

$4.25 €3.63

-84.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.87

$1.11 €0.95

-42.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 RON 30.21

$17.99 €15.39

-62.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.10

$2.20 €1.88

-18.18%

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

$30.0K RON 134.6K

$35.2K €30.1K

-14.85%

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

$26.9K RON 121.0K

$40.0K €34.2K

-32.74%

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

$214 RON 962

$171 €146

25.18%

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

$10.73 RON 48.21

$19.61 €16.78

-45.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 RON 57.1

$33.19 €28.39

-61.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.48 RON 204

$47.96 €41.02

-5.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.91 RON 112

$19.88 €17.01

25.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 RON 36.98

$10.12 €8.66

-18.68%

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

$436 RON 1,956

$700 €599

-37.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 RON 39.1K

$17.4K €14.8K

-49.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 RON 314

$109 €93.4

-35.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.81 RON 197

$47.84 €40.92

-8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 RON 352

$106 €90.9

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 489

$126 €108

-13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 RON 2,361

$1,708 €1,461

-69.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 RON 1,813

$1,265 €1,082

-68.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 RON 4,082

$2,973 €2,543

-69.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 RON 2,833

$2,000 €1,711

-68.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,760 RON 12.4K

$8,013 €6,855

-65.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 RON 9,133

$4,525 €3,871

-55.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$959 RON 4,307

$1,663 €1,422

-42.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

3.73

83.38%

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

Last update for Craiova: August 17, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Craiova and $1,708 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 73% 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: $37.00 in Craiova vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $277 per month, with Craiova 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

Craiova vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 92% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $526 in Craiova versus $1,708 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,212 per month in Craiova versus $2,322 in Lisbon – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,212 in Craiova versus $2,322 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,212 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.