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 $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,020 in Frankfurt versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Frankfurt versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Frankfurt is roughly 21% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Frankfurt 99% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 €16.61

$15.91 €13.70

21.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 €79.5

$64.8 €55.8

42.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.00

$10.51 €9.05

32.64%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.82

$2.87 €2.47

54.70%

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

$3.62 €3.11

$2.24 €1.93

61.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$1.50 €1.29

115.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$3.49 €3.01

70.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.35

$3.88 €3.34

30.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.14 €0.98

39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.75 €1.51

32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.94

$1.76 €1.51

94.32%

Eggs

$3.97 €3.42

$3.22 €2.77

23.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €12.95

$13.49 €11.61

11.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.77 €11.86

$7.91 €6.81

74.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 €19.16

$15.87 €13.67

40.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 €3.02

$2.31 €1.99

51.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.70 €1.46

25.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.01 €1.73

12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 €4.25

$2.46 €2.12

100.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.84 €1.59

-4.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.00 €1.72

-16.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.93 €1.66

1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.79 €0.68

46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 €8.37

$6.61 €5.69

47.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 €5.47

$5.72 €4.93

11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.37 €1.18

-23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.97 €2.56

-49.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 €3.74

$2.37 €2.04

83.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$45.56 €39.22

47.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$4.29 €3.69

34.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.30

$0.82 €0.70

226.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.47 €33.12

$18.30 €15.76

110.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.06 €1.78

-4.85%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$34.3K €29.5K

-8.87%

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

$35.1K €30.2K

$39.3K €33.8K

-10.57%

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

$371 €319

$148 €127

150.94%

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

$24.10 €20.75

$20.52 €17.67

17.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.74 €36.79

$39.61 €34.10

7.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 €56.5

$47.85 €41.19

37.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 €25.14

$18.92 €16.29

54.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$9.18 €7.91

73.42%

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

$604 €520

$614 €529

-1.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$16.0K €13.8K

1.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 €79.2

$105 €90.1

-12.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 €33.36

$42.06 €36.21

-7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.6

$94.0 €80.9

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$120 €103

23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 €1,303

$1,628 €1,401

-7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 €1,032

$1,255 €1,081

-4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 €2,367

$3,030 €2,609

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,774

$2,020 €1,739

2.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,507 €7,324

$7,800 €6,715

9.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,442 €3,824

$4,273 €3,678

3.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 €3,665

$1,603 €1,380

165.49%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,514 in Frankfurt and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frankfurt pays 165% 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: $92.0 in Frankfurt vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $269 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Frankfurt pays 165% 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: $1,514 in Frankfurt versus $1,628 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 $65.0 versus $92.0 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 $2,210 in Lisbon – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

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 21% less than in Frankfurt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.