Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jena and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Jena: $1,801 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

87

Cost of Living Index in Jena
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Jena Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Jena

🇩🇪 Germany

$1,801

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,206

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jena and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jena and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,801 per month in Jena vs $2,206 in Lisbon, rent included.

Jena $1,801
Lisbon $2,206

A couple spends around $2,680 per month in Jena vs $3,276 in Lisbon, rent included.

Jena $2,680
Lisbon $3,276

A family of three spends $3,559 per month in Jena vs $4,346 in Lisbon, rent included.

Jena $3,559
Lisbon $4,346

Jena is about 18% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Jena and Lisbon sit above the global median – Jena by 33%, Lisbon by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.45 €12.03

$16.86 €15.08

-20.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 €57.0

$61.0 €54.6

4.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 €9.84

$10.98 €9.82

0.27%

Cappuccino

$4.21 €3.77

$3.05 €2.73

38.03%

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

$3.02 €2.70

$2.28 €2.04

32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.70

$1.68 €1.50

79.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 €5.03

$3.44 €3.07

63.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 €4.02

$3.91 €3.49

15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.04

$1.15 €1.03

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 €1.84

$1.89 €1.69

8.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 €2.44

$1.50 €1.34

81.33%

Eggs

$3.84 €3.43

$4.12 €3.68

-6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 €13.08

$13.01 €11.63

12.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 €10.12

$8.04 €7.19

40.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 €17.06

$17.89 €16.00

6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.70

$2.27 €2.03

33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.61

$1.74 €1.56

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 €1.92

$1.82 €1.63

17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 €3.42

$2.69 €2.40

42.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 €1.19

$1.77 €1.58

-24.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 €1.05

$1.94 €1.73

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.35

$1.46 €1.31

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.11

$0.76 €0.68

63.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.62 €8.60

$6.66 €5.95

44.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.42 €4.85

$5.64 €5.04

-3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.90

$1.29 €1.15

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.25

$2.14 €1.91

-35.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.63

$2.30 €2.06

27.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 €62.3

$44.02 €39.36

58.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.16 €4.61

$3.98 €3.56

29.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 €2.42

$0.64 €0.57

321.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.87 €30.29

$18.93 €16.92

78.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.89

$2.28 €2.03

-7.02%

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

$30.7K €27.5K

$33.4K €29.8K

-8.01%

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

$38.1K €34.1K

$38.5K €34.4K

-0.93%

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

$395 €353

$158 €141

149.59%

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

$21.45 €19.18

$17.54 €15.68

22.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.91 €36.58

$31.18 €27.89

31.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.19 €32.36

$44.64 €39.92

-18.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.98 €16.97

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 €8.84

$9.58 €8.56

3.24%

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

$909 €812

$674 €602

34.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €15.2K

$18.7K €16.7K

-9.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 €77.9

$102 €91.4

-14.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.64 €37.23

$45.90 €41.04

-9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €96.8

$102 €91.4

5.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €106

$122 €109

-3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 €628

$1,641 €1,467

-57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 €411

$1,187 €1,062

-61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 €1,115

$2,825 €2,526

-55.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 €753

$2,018 €1,805

-58.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,836 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,797 €2,501

$4,701 €4,204

-40.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,268 €2,922

$1,687 €1,508

93.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

3.82

3.66%

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

Last update for Jena: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Jena

$459 25.5%

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8% 159% $728

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jena

$457 25.4%

Lisbon

$207 9.4% 54.7% $250

Groceries & Markets

Jena

$316 17.5%

Lisbon

$275 12.5% 13.1% $41

Eating Out

Jena

$252 14%

Lisbon

$245 11.1% 2.8% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Jena

$160 8.9%

Lisbon

$168 7.6% 4.8% $7.6

Getting Around

Jena

$100 5.6%

Lisbon

$60 2.7% 39.6% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Jena

$56 3.1%

Lisbon

$64 2.9% 14% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in Jena versus $1,641 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 94% higher in Jena, 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 $64 in Jena versus $61 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $275 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇩🇪 Jena

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

23:11 11:11 PM

22:11 10:11 PM

1 h behind Jena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,343

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Jena Lisbon 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Jena
Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Jena vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 22% more than Jena, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,701 per month in Jena and $3,309 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $703 there versus $1,641 in Lisbon.

Kindergarten costs $909 per month in Jena and $674 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jena, where all-in costs run around $1,801, than in Lisbon at $2,206. In Jena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,801 in Jena to $2,206 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.