Cost of Living Comparison Between Dessau and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Dessau and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,821 in Dessau versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,042 in Dessau versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,263 in Dessau versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Dessau costs roughly 20% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dessau 35% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.95 €16.33

$15.94 €13.73

18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €50.7

$63.4 €54.6

-7.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 €10.27

$10.38 €8.95

14.84%

Cappuccino

$3.70 €3.18

$2.79 €2.40

32.62%

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

$2.58 €2.23

$2.34 €2.01

10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.58

$1.57 €1.35

90.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 €4.55

$3.43 €2.95

53.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 €3.52

$3.91 €3.37

4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.08 €0.93

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.77 €1.52

33.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$1.71 €1.47

90.06%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.38

$3.15 €2.71

24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 €12.81

$13.68 €11.79

8.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.84 €12.78

$8.01 €6.90

85.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.19 €20.84

$15.52 €13.37

55.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.29 €1.98

31.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.64 €1.41

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.94 €1.67

18.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 €4.32

$2.51 €2.17

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.79 €1.54

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$2.01 €1.73

-26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.97 €1.69

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$0.84 €0.73

44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.77 €8.41

$6.79 €5.85

43.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 €5.80

$5.67 €4.89

18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.39 €1.20

-32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.42

$3.02 €2.60

-45.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.27 €1.95

1.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 €54.0

$45.44 €39.15

37.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.44

$4.29 €3.70

20.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 €2.29

$0.85 €0.73

211.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 €30.05

$18.28 €15.75

90.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.99 €1.71

-2.51%

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

$31.0K €26.7K

$35.0K €30.2K

-11.47%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$39.5K €34.1K

-1.83%

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

$321 €276

$146 €126

119.36%

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

$11.51 €9.92

$20.45 €17.62

-43.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 €47.27

$38.98 €33.58

40.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.01 €27.58

$48.98 €42.21

-34.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.60 €20.34

$18.83 €16.22

25.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.57 €10.83

$9.52 €8.21

32.04%

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

$234 €202

$608 €524

-61.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €10.0K

$16.5K €14.2K

-29.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 €82.0

$104 €89.5

-8.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 €43.17

$42.12 €36.29

18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 €133

$92.2 €79.5

66.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 €167

$120 €103

61.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 €402

$1,621 €1,397

-71.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 €337

$1,268 €1,092

-69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 €635

$3,048 €2,626

-75.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 €1,049

$2,009 €1,731

-39.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,470 €2,990

$7,663 €6,602

-54.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,803 €1,553

$4,329 €3,730

-58.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,956

$1,585 €1,366

43.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

3.81

4.46%

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

Last update for Dessau: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Dessau and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dessau pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Dessau vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $367 vs $269, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dessau vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dessau is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Dessau pays 43% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $466 in Dessau versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Dessau – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,821 in Dessau versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dessau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Dessau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dessau is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dessau 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 Dessau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.