Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duisburg and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Duisburg: $2,033 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Duisburg
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,033
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,033 in Duisburg versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Duisburg $2,033
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,004 in Duisburg versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Duisburg $3,004
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,974 in Duisburg versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Duisburg $3,974
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Duisburg costs roughly 8% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Duisburg 50% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.28 €11.81
$17.04 €15.15
-22.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.6 €64.6
$62.3 €55.4
16.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.88 €11.45
$11.02 €9.80
16.88%
Cappuccino
$4.37 €3.89
$3.12 €2.78
40.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.45
$2.27 €2.02
70.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 €2.78
$1.74 €1.55
79.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.47 €4.87
$3.42 €3.04
59.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.58 €4.96
$3.74 €3.33
49.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.17 €1.04
16.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.86 €1.66
14.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 €3.35
$1.54 €1.37
144.16%
Eggs
$3.46 €3.07
$4.06 €3.61
-14.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.16 €12.60
$12.91 €11.49
9.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.79 €9.60
$7.90 €7.03
36.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.49 €22.67
$17.64 €15.69
44.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 €2.97
$2.26 €2.01
47.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 €2.00
$1.75 €1.55
28.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.89 €1.68
25.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 €3.80
$2.56 €2.27
66.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 €1.32
$1.85 €1.64
-19.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.97 €1.75
-38.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.45 €1.29
19.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 €0.93
$0.77 €0.69
35.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.53 €9.37
$6.71 €5.97
56.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.80 €6.05
$5.67 €5.04
19.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.37 €1.22
-18.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.11 €1.88
-34.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.52 €4.02
$2.32 €2.07
94.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.7 €60.2
$44.43 €39.52
52.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 €4.37
$3.95 €3.51
24.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.30 €2.05
$1.05 €0.93
119.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.21 €30.43
$17.15 €15.26
99.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 €1.94
$2.19 €1.95
-0.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.5K
$33.8K €30.0K
-1.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$38.3K €34.0K
0.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$454 €404
$164 €146
177.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.59 €22.76
$18.48 €16.43
38.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.63 €37.03
$32.96 €29.32
26.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.61 €28.11
$45.87 €40.80
-31.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.94 €25.74
$18.68 €16.61
54.93%
Cinema Ticket
$13.64 €12.14
$9.75 €8.67
39.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$168 €149
$684 €608
-75.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.9K €23.1K
$17.6K €15.7K
47.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.1 €87.2
$104 €92.3
-5.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.63 €42.37
$46.20 €41.09
3.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €101
$99.7 €88.7
13.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$199 €177
$125 €111
59.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$690 €614
$1,589 €1,414
-56.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$535 €476
$1,169 €1,040
-54.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 €1,244
$2,851 €2,536
-50.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$908 €808
$1,993 €1,773
-54.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,730 €5,986
$7,793 €6,932
-13.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,363 €2,991
$4,418 €3,930
-23.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Duisburg
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,793 €2,484
$1,600 €1,423
74.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
3.85
2.86%

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

Last update for Duisburg: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Duisburg
$535
Lisbon
$1.2K 119% $634
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Duisburg
$521
Lisbon
$215 58.7% $306
Groceries & Markets
Duisburg
$346
Lisbon
$273 21.1% $73
Eating Out
Duisburg
$264
Lisbon
$247 6.2% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Duisburg
$206
Lisbon
$168 18.3% $38
Getting Around
Duisburg
$102
Lisbon
$63 38.4% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Duisburg
$59
Lisbon
$65 11% $6.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Duisburg and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duisburg pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $73.0 in Duisburg vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Duisburg
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
13:37 1:37 PM
12:37 12:37 PM
1 h behind Duisburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
486,855
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Duisburg Lisbon 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Duisburg
  • 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
Duisburg vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Duisburg or Lisbon?
Duisburg wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duisburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Duisburg or in Lisbon?
Average pay runs 75% higher in Duisburg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Duisburg compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $690 in Duisburg versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Duisburg and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $168 in Duisburg versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Duisburg or in Lisbon?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Duisburg or in Lisbon?
At $2,033 in Duisburg versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duisburg but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Duisburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Duisburg or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Duisburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,033 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duisburg hard to pass up.
How safe is Duisburg compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Duisburg 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Duisburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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