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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,290 per month in Haarlem vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,595 per month in Haarlem vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,900 per month in Haarlem vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Haarlem costs about 42% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Haarlem and Lisbon sit above the global median – Haarlem by 139%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.39 €25.35

$17.30 €14.92

69.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 €91.8

$63.3 €54.6

68.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.34 €12.37

$11.39 €9.83

25.90%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.71

$3.19 €2.75

34.80%

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

$4.13 €3.56

$2.45 €2.11

68.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.92

$1.76 €1.52

92.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 €6.95

$3.59 €3.10

124.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.03

$3.39 €2.93

71.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.24 €1.07

16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 €2.47

$1.98 €1.71

44.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$1.52 €1.31

81.58%

Eggs

$4.94 €4.26

$4.04 €3.49

22.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 €12.19

$13.54 €11.68

4.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 €11.50

$8.39 €7.23

59.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.99 €18.96

$18.25 €15.74

20.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 €2.58

$2.29 €1.97

30.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$1.74 €1.50

45.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.86 €1.60

3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 €4.49

$2.63 €2.27

98.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.92 €1.65

3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.09 €1.81

11.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.44 €1.24

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.90

$0.84 €0.73

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.24 €12.28

$6.78 €5.85

110.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 €7.16

$5.71 €4.93

45.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.38 €1.19

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.22 €1.91

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.43

$2.40 €2.07

17.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 €73.9

$46.78 €40.35

83.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 €5.70

$4.17 €3.60

58.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.14 €0.98

119.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.15 €23.41

$17.68 €15.25

53.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.32 €2.00

5.60%

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

$43.5K €37.5K

$35.3K €30.5K

23.06%

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

$40.5K €34.9K

$41.4K €35.7K

-2.32%

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

$258 €223

$170 €147

51.48%

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

$24.43 €21.07

$19.34 €16.68

26.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 €53.2

$33.64 €29.01

83.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.0

$48.10 €41.48

20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.30 €25.27

$19.90 €17.16

47.24%

Cinema Ticket

$16.94 €14.61

$9.92 €8.56

70.77%

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

$2,762 €2,382

$717 €619

285.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,907 €5,957

$17.5K €15.1K

-60.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 €76.5

$105 €90.4

-15.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 €56.8

$46.95 €40.49

40.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.2

$103 €89.2

-2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €133

$124 €107

24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 €1,778

$1,677 €1,446

22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 €1,538

$1,271 €1,096

40.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,026 €2,610

$2,985 €2,574

1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,372 €2,045

$1,992 €1,718

19.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,853 €6,773

$7,826 €6,750

0.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,937 €5,121

$4,658 €4,017

27.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,308 €3,716

$1,583 €1,365

172.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.79

0.53%

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

Last update for Haarlem: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,062 in Haarlem 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 172% 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 $106 in Haarlem versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 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

Haarlem vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haarlem costs about 42% 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 $4,935 per month in Haarlem 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 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 $106 in Haarlem and $63.0 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 $3,290 in Haarlem and $2,316 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 $3,290 in Haarlem and $2,316 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 $2,316 versus $3,290 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.