Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Elbasan: $891 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Elbasan, Albania
Lisbon, Portugal
Elbasan
🇦🇱 Albania
$891
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $891 per month in Elbasan vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Elbasan $891
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Elbasan vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Elbasan $1,407
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $1,924 per month in Elbasan vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Elbasan $1,924
  • Lisbon $4,341

Elbasan is about 60% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Elbasan sits 35% below the global median, while Lisbon is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.08 ALL 814
$16.65 €14.96
-39.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.61 ALL 2,957
$61.7 €55.5
-40.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.96 ALL 562
$11.36 €10.20
-38.73%
Cappuccino
$1.78 ALL 143
$2.97 €2.67
-40.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 ALL 113
$2.29 €2.06
-38.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ALL 55.5
$1.74 €1.56
-60.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.11 ALL 171
$3.40 €3.06
-37.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ALL 230
$3.31 €2.97
-13.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.98 ALL 160
$1.16 €1.04
70.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 ALL 76.0
$1.91 €1.72
-50.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 ALL 128
$1.51 €1.36
4.64%
Eggs
$2.60 ALL 210
$4.02 €3.61
-35.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.14 ALL 819
$12.94 €11.62
-21.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.96 ALL 482
$7.77 €6.99
-23.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.74 ALL 948
$17.76 €15.96
-33.90%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ALL 97.7
$2.30 €2.07
-47.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 ALL 184
$1.73 €1.56
31.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ALL 113
$1.86 €1.67
-24.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.09 ALL 88.1
$2.59 €2.33
-57.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 ALL 83.5
$1.82 €1.64
-43.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 ALL 85.3
$1.97 €1.77
-46.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.79 ALL 63.7
$1.47 €1.32
-46.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 ALL 52.6
$0.72 €0.65
-9.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.42 ALL 357
$6.58 €5.92
-32.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 ALL 633
$5.61 €5.04
39.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 ALL 83.6
$1.36 €1.22
-23.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ALL 145
$2.14 €1.92
-16.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 ALL 41.15
$2.33 €2.10
-78.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.70 ALL 1,591
$44.68 €40.14
-55.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.62 ALL 292
$3.85 €3.46
-5.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 ALL 116
$1.07 €0.96
34.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.87 ALL 1,201
$16.46 €14.79
-9.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 ALL 176
$2.20 €1.98
-0.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K ALL 2.4M
$34.2K €30.7K
-12.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K ALL 2.4M
$38.7K €34.8K
-23.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.4 ALL 5,040
$161 €145
-61.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.72 ALL 1,269
$18.41 €16.54
-14.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.18 ALL 984
$32.74 €29.41
-62.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.7 ALL 4,577
$44.55 €40.03
27.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.27 ALL 1,395
$19.10 €17.16
-9.58%
Cinema Ticket
$4.28 ALL 345
$9.60 €8.62
-55.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$141 ALL 11.3K
$668 €600
-78.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,879 ALL 151.8K
$17.6K €15.8K
-89.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.7 ALL 5,869
$102 €91.7
-28.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.27 ALL 3,656
$44.46 €39.95
1.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ALL 7,613
$98.5 €88.5
-4.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.5 ALL 7,878
$124 €111
-21.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$305 ALL 24.7K
$1,608 €1,445
-81.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$203 ALL 16.4K
$1,190 €1,069
-82.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$448 ALL 36.2K
$2,812 €2,527
-84.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$313 ALL 25.3K
$2,013 €1,809
-84.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,349 ALL 109.0K
$7,839 €7,043
-82.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$877 ALL 70.8K
$4,576 €4,111
-80.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elbasan
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$552 ALL 44.6K
$1,575 €1,415
-64.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.1
3.85
58.44%

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

Last update for Elbasan: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Elbasan
$213
Lisbon
$272 28% $60
Accommodation & Living
Elbasan
$203
Lisbon
$1.2K 486% $987
Eating Out
Elbasan
$147
Lisbon
$243 64.6% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Elbasan
$139
Lisbon
$166 19% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elbasan
$90
Lisbon
$212 135% $122
Sport & Entertainment
Elbasan
$65
Lisbon
$64 2.3% $1.5
Getting Around
Elbasan
$33
Lisbon
$63 94.1% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $305 in Elbasan versus $1,608 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 in Lisbon are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Elbasan versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $272 – making Elbasan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Elbasan
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
12:02 12:02 PM
11:02 11:02 AM
1 h behind Elbasan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,703
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.77 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.89 ALL (100 ALL = 1.11 EUR).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Elbasan Lisbon 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Elbasan
  • 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
Elbasan vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elbasan cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 148%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,336 per month in Elbasan and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $305 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do food prices compare in Elbasan and in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Elbasan or in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Elbasan and $62 in Lisbon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Elbasan or in Lisbon?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Elbasan or Lisbon more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Elbasan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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