Cost of Living Comparison Between Haarlem and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Haarlem and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Haarlem vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,192 per month in Haarlem vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,531 per month in Haarlem vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Haarlem costs about 29% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Haarlem and Lisbon sit above the global median – Haarlem by 113%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.12 €25.05

$15.91 €13.69

83.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €89.0

$64.8 €55.7

59.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.78

$10.51 €9.04

30.26%

Cappuccino

$4.33 €3.72

$2.87 €2.47

50.87%

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

$4.00 €3.44

$2.24 €1.93

78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.86

$1.50 €1.29

122.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €5.92

$3.49 €3.00

97.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.11

$3.88 €3.34

53.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.14 €0.98

22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 €2.29

$1.75 €1.51

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.76 €1.51

69.89%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.06

$3.22 €2.77

46.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 €12.34

$13.49 €11.61

6.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 €13.27

$7.91 €6.81

94.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.60 €16.00

$15.87 €13.65

17.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$2.31 €1.99

9.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.20

$1.70 €1.46

50.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.01 €1.73

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.43

$2.46 €2.12

61.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$1.84 €1.59

10.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.00 €1.72

-6.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.93 €1.66

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.79 €0.68

18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.49 €12.47

$6.61 €5.68

119.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 €7.19

$5.72 €4.92

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.37 €1.17

12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.97 €2.56

-19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 €2.66

$2.37 €2.04

30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.1

$45.56 €39.19

150.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$4.29 €3.69

34.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.25

$0.82 €0.70

219.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.33 €23.51

$18.30 €15.74

49.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.06 €1.78

10.19%

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

$39.9K €34.4K

$34.3K €29.5K

16.50%

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

$39.2K €33.7K

$39.3K €33.8K

-0.29%

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

$243 €209

$148 €127

64.30%

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

$28.02 €24.10

$20.52 €17.65

36.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 €49.81

$39.61 €34.08

46.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 €35.52

$47.85 €41.16

-13.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.02 €20.66

$18.92 €16.28

26.96%

Cinema Ticket

$16.70 €14.37

$9.18 €7.90

81.92%

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

$2,716 €2,336

$614 €528

342.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,256 €5,382

$16.0K €13.8K

-61.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.1

$105 €90.0

-3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €45.98

$42.06 €36.18

27.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$94.0 €80.8

23.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 €137

$120 €103

33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 €1,492

$1,628 €1,400

6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 €1,185

$1,255 €1,080

9.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 €2,179

$3,030 €2,607

-16.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 €1,832

$2,020 €1,738

5.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,318 €7,155

$7,800 €6,709

6.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,393 €5,499

$4,273 €3,675

49.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,929 €3,380

$1,603 €1,379

145.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

3.81

12.34%

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

Last update for Haarlem: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,734 in Haarlem versus $1,628 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 145% higher in Haarlem, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Haarlem versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $269 – 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

Haarlem vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haarlem costs about 29% more than Lisbon, 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 $4,280 per month in Haarlem and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, 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 $104 in Haarlem and $65.0 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 $2,853 in Haarlem and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,853 in Haarlem and $2,210 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,210 versus $2,853 in Haarlem. 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 Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Haarlem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.