Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Enschede and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,412 in Enschede versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,738 in Enschede versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,064 in Enschede versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Enschede is roughly 4% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Enschede 76% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.68 €18.66

$17.30 €14.89

25.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 €69.8

$63.3 €54.4

28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.36 €14.08

$11.39 €9.80

43.63%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.72

$3.19 €2.75

35.42%

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

$3.68 €3.17

$2.45 €2.10

50.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.59

$1.76 €1.52

71.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 €5.63

$3.59 €3.09

82.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.91

$3.39 €2.92

102.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.24 €1.06

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.98 €1.71

26.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.52 €1.31

89.47%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.07

$4.04 €3.48

17.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 €12.18

$13.54 €11.65

4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.27 €13.14

$8.39 €7.22

82.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 €13.16

$18.25 €15.70

-16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.29 €1.97

27.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.74 €1.50

32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.86 €1.60

27.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 €4.37

$2.63 €2.26

93.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.92 €1.65

11.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.44 €1.24

-13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.63

$0.84 €0.72

-11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.25 €12.26

$6.78 €5.83

110.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 €6.14

$5.71 €4.91

25.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.38 €1.18

11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.22 €1.91

36.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.67

$2.40 €2.06

29.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €100

$46.78 €40.25

148.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 €3.31

$4.17 €3.59

-7.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 €2.33

$1.14 €0.98

137.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.18 €24.25

$17.68 €15.21

59.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.32 €2.00

5.17%

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

$43.8K €37.7K

$35.3K €30.4K

24.00%

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

$40.9K €35.2K

$41.4K €35.7K

-1.34%

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

$277 €238

$170 €147

62.49%

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

$22.65 €19.49

$19.34 €16.64

17.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.12 €39.69

$33.64 €28.95

37.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 €29.70

$48.10 €41.39

-28.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.14 €20.77

$19.90 €17.12

21.31%

Cinema Ticket

$19.99 €17.20

$9.92 €8.54

101.51%

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

$1,274 €1,096

$717 €617

77.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,258 €7,106

$17.5K €15.0K

-52.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 €84.3

$105 €90.2

-6.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 €33.32

$46.95 €40.40

-17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 €82.9

$103 €89.0

-6.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €90.5

$124 €107

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 €1,169

$1,677 €1,443

-18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 €908

$1,271 €1,094

-17.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,581 €2,221

$2,985 €2,568

-13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,772

$1,992 €1,715

3.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,773 €4,107

$7,826 €6,734

-39.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 €2,851

$4,658 €4,008

-28.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,978 €2,563

$1,583 €1,362

88.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

3.79

21.37%

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

Last update for Enschede: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Enschede and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Enschede pays 88% 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: $81.0 in Enschede vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $283 per month, with Lisbon 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

Enschede vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Enschede and Lisbon differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,412 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 88% higher in Enschede, 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: $1,358 in Enschede versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,412 per month in Enschede versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 149% less than in Enschede. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Enschede 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Enschede. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.