Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Elbasan vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Elbasan vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Elbasan vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

Elbasan is about 60% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Elbasan sits 31% below the global median, while Lisbon is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ALL 776

$15.75 €13.74

-39.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 ALL 2,678

$63.5 €55.3

-48.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 584

$10.45 €9.11

-31.87%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 148

$2.91 €2.54

-38.14%

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

$1.29 ALL 105

$2.29 €2.00

-43.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.1

$1.50 €1.31

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ALL 148

$3.56 €3.11

-49.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ALL 188

$3.96 €3.46

-41.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ALL 148

$1.08 €0.94

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 75.7

$1.76 €1.54

-47.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ALL 122

$1.70 €1.48

-12.35%

Eggs

$3.00 ALL 246

$3.25 €2.83

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 ALL 794

$13.25 €11.55

-26.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ALL 446

$7.70 €6.72

-29.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 ALL 1,021

$15.77 €13.75

-21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 71.1

$2.28 €1.99

-61.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 194

$1.66 €1.44

42.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 103

$2.02 €1.76

-38.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 76.2

$2.47 €2.16

-62.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 82.4

$1.79 €1.56

-43.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 84.6

$2.07 €1.80

-50.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.6

$1.97 €1.72

-54.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ALL 46.45

$0.83 €0.73

-31.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 324

$6.55 €5.71

-39.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 ALL 666

$5.57 €4.85

45.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.6

$1.33 €1.16

-32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ALL 117

$3.01 €2.62

-52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.35

$2.27 €1.98

-78.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.61 ALL 1,525

$46.35 €40.41

-59.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ALL 281

$4.23 €3.69

-18.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ALL 105

$0.85 €0.74

50.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 ALL 1,173

$18.83 €16.41

-23.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 179

$2.02 €1.76

7.92%

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

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

$35.0K €30.5K

-38.25%

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

$27.7K ALL 2.3M

$39.6K €34.6K

-30.21%

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

$66.8 ALL 5,471

$148 €129

-54.87%

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

$17.59 ALL 1,442

$20.52 €17.89

-14.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.21 ALL 1,246

$39.52 €34.46

-61.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 ALL 5,410

$48.17 €42.00

37.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 ALL 1,326

$18.39 €16.03

-12.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 ALL 465

$9.10 €7.93

-37.69%

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

$139 ALL 11.4K

$615 €536

-77.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,791 ALL 146.8K

$16.3K €14.2K

-89.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 ALL 3,899

$102 €88.6

-53.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.42 ALL 2,821

$42.09 €36.69

-18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 ALL 7,827

$92.3 €80.5

3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 ALL 14.7K

$122 €106

46.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ALL 23.4K

$1,612 €1,405

-82.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ALL 15.9K

$1,254 €1,093

-84.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ALL 34.0K

$3,069 €2,676

-86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ALL 24.2K

$2,037 €1,776

-85.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,310 ALL 107.4K

$7,751 €6,757

-83.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$866 ALL 70.9K

$4,286 €3,737

-79.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 45.1K

$1,602 €1,396

-65.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

3.81

60.10%

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

Last update for Elbasan: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Elbasan versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 191% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Elbasan versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $267 – making Elbasan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Elbasan vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 149%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,375 per month in Elbasan and $3,420 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Elbasan and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Elbasan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.