Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fontainebleau and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Fontainebleau: $1,127 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Fontainebleau
🇫🇷 France
$1,127
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Fontainebleau versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Fontainebleau $1,127
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,529 in Fontainebleau versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Fontainebleau $2,529
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Fontainebleau versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Fontainebleau $3,931
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Fontainebleau costs roughly 49% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fontainebleau is 17% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.64
$16.50 €14.67
6.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.3 €59.0
$61.3 €54.5
8.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.29 €11.82
$11.27 €10.03
17.92%
Cappuccino
$3.85 €3.42
$3.06 €2.72
25.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 €2.79
$2.26 €2.01
38.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.73 €1.54
-4.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.04 €7.15
$3.39 €3.02
137.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 €5.01
$3.40 €3.02
65.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.12 €1.00
17.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.86 €1.65
5.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.53 €1.36
83.01%
Eggs
$4.03 €3.58
$3.96 €3.53
1.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.50 €19.12
$12.76 €11.35
68.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.19 €10.84
$7.90 €7.02
54.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.50 €20.90
$16.97 €15.09
38.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 €2.96
$2.27 €2.02
46.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.75 €1.55
20.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 €2.11
$1.85 €1.64
28.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.17 €2.82
$2.57 €2.28
23.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.86 €1.65
3.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$2.02 €1.80
1.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.36
$1.44 €1.28
5.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 €0.61
$0.82 €0.73
-17.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.91 €12.37
$6.56 €5.83
112.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.74 €6.89
$5.62 €5.00
37.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.13
$1.28 €1.14
87.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 €3.80
$2.07 €1.84
106.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.35 €2.09
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.18 €39.30
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.99 €3.55
-43.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 €1.85
$1.09 €0.97
91.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.36 €21.67
$16.64 €14.81
46.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 €1.97
$2.28 €2.03
-3.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.2K
$33.7K €30.0K
0.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2K €30.4K
$39.3K €35.0K
-12.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 €184
$167 €149
23.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.25 €13.57
$18.80 €16.72
-18.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.23 €27.78
$33.09 €29.43
-5.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.61 €20.11
$46.01 €40.93
-50.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.32 €11.85
$19.19 €17.07
-30.59%
Cinema Ticket
$10.52 €9.36
$9.84 €8.75
6.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 €563
$677 €602
-6.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,147 €7,247
$16.9K €15.1K
-51.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.1
$101 €90.1
-13.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.29 €35.83
$45.76 €40.70
-11.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €89.7
$100.0 €88.9
0.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 €92.4
$123 €109
-15.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$936 €833
$1,614 €1,436
-42.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,197 €1,065
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,670 €1,485
$2,862 €2,545
-41.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,405 €1,250
$1,990 €1,770
-29.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,577 €6,740
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$4,307 €3,831
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fontainebleau
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,045 €2,709
$1,588 €1,412
91.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
3.85
-9.09%

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

Last update for Fontainebleau: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
$371
Lisbon
$269 27.4% $102
Eating Out
Fontainebleau
$297
Lisbon
$242 18.5% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
$253
Lisbon
$219 13.3% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
$150
Lisbon
$166 11.1% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
$44
Lisbon
$66 50.5% $22
Getting Around
Fontainebleau
$13 *
Lisbon
$63 396% $50
Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
- *
Lisbon
$1.2K

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $936 in Fontainebleau and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fontainebleau pays 92% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Fontainebleau vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Fontainebleau
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
21:36 9:36 PM
20:36 8:36 PM
1 h behind Fontainebleau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,945
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fontainebleau Lisbon 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Fontainebleau
  • 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
Fontainebleau vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fontainebleau or Lisbon?
Fontainebleau wins on cost – living expenses run 97% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fontainebleau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Fontainebleau or in Lisbon?
Average pay runs 92% higher in Fontainebleau, 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 Fontainebleau compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $936 in Fontainebleau versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Fontainebleau or in Lisbon?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Fontainebleau compared to Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $1,127 per month in Fontainebleau versus $2,223 in Lisbon – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Fontainebleau or in Lisbon?
At $1,127 in Fontainebleau versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fontainebleau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Fontainebleau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fontainebleau or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Fontainebleau delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,127 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fontainebleau hard to pass up.
How safe is Fontainebleau compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Fontainebleau 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 Fontainebleau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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