Cost of Living Comparison Between Gelsenkirchen and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Gelsenkirchen and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,942 per month in Gelsenkirchen vs $2,268 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,885 per month in Gelsenkirchen vs $3,348 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,828 per month in Gelsenkirchen vs $4,429 in Lisbon, rent included.

Gelsenkirchen is about 14% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gelsenkirchen and Lisbon sit above the global median – Gelsenkirchen by 41%, Lisbon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.54 €11.67

$17.55 €15.12

-22.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 €70.8

$64.5 €55.6

27.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.88

$11.65 €10.04

-11.59%

Cappuccino

$4.48 €3.86

$3.26 €2.81

37.42%

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

$4.10 €3.53

$2.49 €2.15

64.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.91

$1.67 €1.44

102.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 €4.74

$3.47 €2.99

58.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 €3.60

$3.58 €3.08

16.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.18 €1.02

19.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.95 €1.68

16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$1.56 €1.35

133.97%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.08

$4.01 €3.46

-10.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.96 €12.90

$13.27 €11.44

12.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.20 €9.66

$8.42 €7.26

33.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.52 €22.00

$18.23 €15.72

39.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 €3.14

$2.32 €2.00

57.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.73 €1.49

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.93 €1.67

11.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 €3.91

$2.64 €2.27

71.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.90 €1.64

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 €1.07

$2.11 €1.82

-40.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.44 €1.24

27.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.80 €0.69

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 €8.74

$7.01 €6.04

44.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 €5.07

$5.92 €5.11

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.36 €1.18

-19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.34

$2.15 €1.85

-27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.79 €3.27

$2.38 €2.05

59.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 €62.6

$46.22 €39.85

57.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 €4.49

$4.19 €3.61

24.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.10 €0.95

115.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.31 €30.44

$17.26 €14.88

104.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.25 €1.94

-2.22%

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

$31.1K €26.8K

$34.5K €29.7K

-9.80%

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

$40.1K €34.6K

$41.6K €35.9K

-3.64%

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

$409 €353

$171 €147

139.58%

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

$27.08 €23.35

$19.01 €16.38

42.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.01 €37.08

$34.28 €29.55

25.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.70 €28.19

$49.65 €42.80

-34.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.15 €25.13

$19.51 €16.81

49.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 €7.87

$10.10 €8.71

-9.60%

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

$233 €201

$699 €603

-66.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K €17.2K

$17.8K €15.3K

12.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.1

$105 €90.2

-3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.65 €35.04

$47.97 €41.35

-15.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.7

$102 €87.8

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.5

$128 €111

-15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 €542

$1,661 €1,432

-62.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 €489

$1,228 €1,059

-53.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €915

$2,915 €2,513

-63.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 €743

$2,023 €1,744

-57.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,709 €1,473

$8,129 €7,007

-78.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 €1,213

$4,635 €3,996

-69.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,286 €1,971

$1,619 €1,396

41.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.78

4.76%

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

Last update for Gelsenkirchen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $628 in Gelsenkirchen versus $1,661 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 run about 41% higher in Gelsenkirchen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Gelsenkirchen versus $64.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $281 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Gelsenkirchen vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 17% more than Gelsenkirchen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,913 per month in Gelsenkirchen and $3,402 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gelsenkirchen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Gelsenkirchen and $64.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,942 in Gelsenkirchen and $2,268 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gelsenkirchen, where all-in costs run around $1,942, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Gelsenkirchen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gelsenkirchen costs $1,942 versus $2,268 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gelsenkirchen. 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.