Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leeuwarden and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,588 in Leeuwarden, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Leeuwarden
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,588
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leeuwarden 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 Leeuwarden and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,588 per month in Leeuwarden vs $2,202 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Leeuwarden $2,588
  • Lisbon $2,202

A couple spends around $3,825 per month in Leeuwarden vs $3,274 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Leeuwarden $3,825
  • Lisbon $3,274

A family of three spends $5,063 per month in Leeuwarden vs $4,346 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Leeuwarden $5,063
  • Lisbon $4,346

Leeuwarden costs about 18% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Leeuwarden and Lisbon sit above the global median – Leeuwarden by 91%, Lisbon by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.50 €20.01
$17.04 €15.15
32.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$112 €99.2
$62.3 €55.4
79.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.61 €13.88
$11.02 €9.80
41.65%
Cappuccino
$3.86 €3.44
$3.12 €2.78
23.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 €3.32
$2.27 €2.02
64.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 €2.54
$1.74 €1.55
64.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.88 €6.12
$3.42 €3.04
101.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.35 €4.75
$3.74 €3.33
43.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.17 €1.04
-0.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.86 €1.66
3.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$1.54 €1.37
58.44%
Eggs
$4.37 €3.89
$4.06 €3.61
7.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.73 €11.32
$12.91 €11.49
-1.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.38 €12.79
$7.90 €7.03
82.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.29 €14.49
$17.64 €15.69
-7.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.26 €2.01
2.65%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 €2.13
$1.75 €1.55
37.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.65
$1.89 €1.68
-2.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.25 €4.67
$2.56 €2.27
105.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.85 €1.64
-7.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.97 €1.75
-2.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.45 €1.29
-16.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$0.77 €0.69
18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.20 €12.63
$6.71 €5.97
111.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.02 €6.24
$5.67 €5.04
23.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.67
$1.37 €1.22
37.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 €1.50
$2.11 €1.88
-19.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.29 €2.92
$2.32 €2.07
41.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$127 €113
$44.43 €39.52
186.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.78 €7.81
$3.95 €3.51
122.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.98 €3.54
$1.05 €0.93
279.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$51.0 €45.38
$17.15 €15.26
197.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.41 €2.15
$2.19 €1.95
10.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K €37.1K
$33.8K €30.0K
23.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K €34.7K
$38.3K €34.0K
1.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$369 €328
$164 €146
125.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.01 €38.26
$18.48 €16.43
132.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.83 €40.77
$32.96 €29.32
39.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.73 €33.56
$45.87 €40.80
-17.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 €16.90
$18.68 €16.61
1.71%
Cinema Ticket
$16.54 €14.71
$9.75 €8.67
69.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,353 €1,204
$684 €608
97.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K €20.0K
$17.6K €15.7K
27.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 €102
$104 €92.3
10.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.18 €34.85
$46.20 €41.09
-15.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 €116
$99.7 €88.7
30.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €121
$125 €111
8.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,351 €1,202
$1,589 €1,414
-14.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 €915
$1,169 €1,040
-12.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,851 €3,425
$2,851 €2,536
35.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,612 €1,434
$1,993 €1,773
-19.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,638 €3,236
$7,793 €6,932
-53.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,248 €2,889
$4,418 €3,930
-26.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Leeuwarden
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,989 €2,658
$1,600 €1,423
86.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.38
3.85
13.77%

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

Last update for Leeuwarden: October 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Leeuwarden
$1K
Lisbon
$1.2K 13.7% $141
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leeuwarden
$458
Lisbon
$215 53% $243
Eating Out
Leeuwarden
$345
Lisbon
$247 28.2% $97
Groceries & Markets
Leeuwarden
$328
Lisbon
$273 16.8% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Leeuwarden
$189
Lisbon
$168 10.7% $20
Getting Around
Leeuwarden
$169
Lisbon
$63 62.8% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Leeuwarden
$71
Lisbon
$65 7.7% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,351 in Leeuwarden versus $1,589 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 87% higher in Leeuwarden, 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 $112 in Leeuwarden versus $62.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $273 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Leeuwarden
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
10:09 10:09 AM
09:09 9:09 AM
1 h behind Leeuwarden
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,992
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Leeuwarden Lisbon 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Leeuwarden
  • 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
Leeuwarden vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Leeuwarden or Lisbon?
Leeuwarden costs about 18% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Leeuwarden and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,882 per month in Leeuwarden and $3,302 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Leeuwarden or Lisbon?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Leeuwarden and in Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $1,353 per month in Leeuwarden and $684 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Leeuwarden or in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 20% more in Leeuwarden, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Leeuwarden or in Lisbon?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Leeuwarden at $2,588. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leeuwarden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Leeuwarden or Lisbon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,202 versus $2,588 in Leeuwarden. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Leeuwarden compared to Lisbon?
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.
Should I move to Leeuwarden or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leeuwarden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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