Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,278 per month in Gent vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Gent vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Gent vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Gent is about 2% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gent and Lisbon sit above the global median – Gent by 66%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.13 €19.89

$17.30 €14.87

33.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 €101

$63.3 €54.4

85.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.33 €14.04

$11.39 €9.79

43.37%

Cappuccino

$4.51 €3.87

$3.19 €2.74

41.38%

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

$3.46 €2.97

$2.45 €2.10

41.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$1.76 €1.52

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €4.93

$3.59 €3.09

59.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 €5.10

$3.39 €2.92

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.24 €1.06

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.98 €1.71

51.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.52 €1.31

48.03%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.57

$4.04 €3.47

2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.24 €16.54

$13.54 €11.64

42.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 €10.84

$8.39 €7.21

50.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.51 €17.63

$18.25 €15.69

12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.29 €1.97

28.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.74 €1.50

48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.35

$1.86 €1.60

47.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.63 €2.26

14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$1.92 €1.65

14.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.09 €1.80

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.44 €1.24

-1.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.84 €0.72

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 €11.79

$6.78 €5.83

102.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 €7.71

$5.71 €4.91

57.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.38 €1.18

44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.22 €1.91

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €2.97

$2.40 €2.06

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 €51.8

$46.78 €40.22

28.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.84 €10.18

$4.17 €3.59

183.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 €2.61

$1.14 €0.98

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.2 €45.70

$17.68 €15.20

200.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.32 €2.00

-13.36%

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

$36.3K €31.2K

$35.3K €30.4K

2.67%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

$41.4K €35.6K

-14.52%

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

$232 €199

$170 €146

36.02%

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

$21.54 €18.52

$19.34 €16.62

11.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.92 €42.06

$33.64 €28.92

45.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.30 €32.07

$48.10 €41.35

-22.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 €11.59

$19.90 €17.11

-32.26%

Cinema Ticket

$16.61 €14.28

$9.92 €8.53

67.44%

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

$578 €497

$717 €617

-19.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K €19.3K

$17.5K €15.0K

28.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €97.5

$105 €90.1

8.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.00 €42.13

$46.95 €40.36

4.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €97.8

$103 €88.9

10.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 €127

$124 €107

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 €1,043

$1,677 €1,441

-27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 €791

$1,271 €1,093

-27.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 €1,641

$2,985 €2,566

-36.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 €1,377

$1,992 €1,713

-19.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,880 €5,055

$7,826 €6,728

-24.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,207 €2,757

$4,658 €4,004

-31.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,717 €3,195

$1,583 €1,361

134.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.79

-15.57%

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

Last update for Gent: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,213 in Gent versus $1,677 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 135% higher in Gent, 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 $118 in Gent versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $283 – 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

Gent vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 2% more than Gent, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,416 per month in Gent and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,278 in Gent and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Gent. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Gent, where all-in costs run around $2,278, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Gent it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gent – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Gent. 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.