Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfurt and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,667 in Frankfurt versus $2,258 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,960 in Frankfurt versus $3,328 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,253 in Frankfurt versus $4,397 in Lisbon.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 18% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 98% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.95 €16.97

$15.82 €13.46

26.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €79.3

$64.4 €54.8

44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 €11.68

$10.37 €8.82

32.40%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.87

$2.89 €2.46

57.44%

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

$3.59 €3.06

$2.23 €1.90

60.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.81

$1.55 €1.32

112.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.69 €4.84

$3.38 €2.88

68.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 €4.55

$3.90 €3.32

37.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.12 €0.96

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.92

$1.80 €1.53

25.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 €2.88

$1.75 €1.49

93.14%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.43

$3.17 €2.70

27.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 €12.84

$13.50 €11.49

11.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.57 €11.55

$7.79 €6.63

74.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.55 €18.34

$15.65 €13.32

37.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.86

$2.28 €1.94

47.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.82

$1.71 €1.46

25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €1.99

$1.93 €1.65

21.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 €4.14

$2.52 €2.15

93.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.43

$1.79 €1.52

-6.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$2.05 €1.74

-15.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.64

$1.94 €1.65

-0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.94

$0.81 €0.69

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 €8.22

$6.65 €5.66

45.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 €6.17

$5.79 €4.92

25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.92

$1.33 €1.14

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.33

$2.91 €2.47

-46.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 €3.51

$2.35 €2.00

75.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 €56.0

$45.70 €38.89

44.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.06

$4.20 €3.58

41.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 €2.23

$0.81 €0.69

222.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.26 €32.56

$18.70 €15.91

104.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.69

$2.09 €1.78

-4.78%

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

$31.8K €27.1K

$34.6K €29.5K

-8.04%

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

$34.6K €29.4K

$39.7K €33.7K

-12.82%

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

$376 €320

$146 €124

157.90%

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

$24.54 €20.89

$20.84 €17.73

17.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.65 €37.15

$39.78 €33.85

9.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.7 €56.8

$48.58 €41.35

37.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.09 €25.61

$18.85 €16.04

59.63%

Cinema Ticket

$16.39 €13.95

$9.07 €7.72

80.71%

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

$607 €516

$618 €526

-1.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

0.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €78.2

$105 €89.0

-12.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.63 €32.87

$40.54 €34.50

-4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 €83.8

$93.8 €79.8

4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €127

$123 €104

21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 €1,323

$1,604 €1,365

-3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,025

$1,260 €1,073

-4.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,760 €2,349

$3,065 €2,608

-9.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 €1,750

$2,008 €1,709

2.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,482 €7,218

$7,702 €6,555

10.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,750 €4,042

$4,367 €3,716

8.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,607 €3,921

$1,638 €1,394

181.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.81

4.72%

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

Last update for Frankfurt: April 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,555 in Frankfurt and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 181% 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: $93 in Frankfurt vs $64 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $268 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

Frankfurt vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 181% more on average, 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: $1,555 in Frankfurt versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $93.0 in Frankfurt. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,667 per month in Frankfurt versus $2,258 in Lisbon – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,667 in Frankfurt, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Frankfurt. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Frankfurt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Frankfurt 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 18% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.