Cost of Living Comparison Between Leiden and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Leiden and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in Leiden versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,894 in Leiden versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,053 in Leiden versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Leiden is roughly 24% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leiden 104% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.06 €14.68

$15.91 €13.69

7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 €76.0

$64.8 €55.7

36.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$10.51 €9.04

34.44%

Cappuccino

$3.95 €3.40

$2.87 €2.47

37.63%

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

$3.73 €3.21

$2.24 €1.93

66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.48

$1.50 €1.29

92.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 €6.05

$3.49 €3.00

101.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 €4.96

$3.88 €3.34

48.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.14 €0.98

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.75 €1.51

28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 €2.85

$1.76 €1.51

88.07%

Eggs

$4.78 €4.11

$3.22 €2.77

48.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.54 €12.50

$13.49 €11.61

7.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.81 €14.46

$7.91 €6.81

112.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 €14.90

$15.87 €13.65

9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.31 €1.99

-3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$1.70 €1.46

51.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.01 €1.73

-2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.46 €2.12

57.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.84 €1.59

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.93 €1.66

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.63

$0.79 €0.68

-6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.82 €11.03

$6.61 €5.68

93.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.44

$5.72 €4.92

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.37 €1.17

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.97 €2.56

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.37 €2.04

27.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 €75.4

$45.56 €39.19

92.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €4.95

$4.29 €3.69

34.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.82 €0.70

148.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.44 €29.62

$18.30 €15.74

88.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.06 €1.78

11.17%

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

$29.4K €25.3K

$34.3K €29.5K

-14.12%

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

$28.9K €24.9K

$39.3K €33.8K

-26.47%

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

$289 €248

$148 €127

95.13%

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

$21.66 €18.63

$20.52 €17.65

5.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 €43.72

$39.61 €34.08

28.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.07 €37.05

$47.85 €41.16

-9.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.40 €17.55

$18.92 €16.28

7.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 €12.14

$9.18 €7.90

53.70%

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

$2,050 €1,763

$614 €528

233.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €14.0K

$16.0K €13.8K

1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €98.1

$105 €90.0

8.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.59 €39.21

$42.06 €36.18

8.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.0

$94.0 €80.8

22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €132

$120 €103

28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,307

$1,628 €1,400

-6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 €1,124

$1,255 €1,080

4.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,389 €2,055

$3,030 €2,607

-21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$2,020 €1,738

-0.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,052 €6,926

$7,800 €6,709

3.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,214 €5,345

$4,273 €3,675

45.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,018 €3,456

$1,603 €1,379

150.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.99

3.81

4.72%

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

Last update for Leiden: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Leiden and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leiden pays 151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $88.0 in Leiden vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Leiden vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Leiden. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Leiden pays 151% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,520 in Leiden versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Leiden. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $88.0 in Leiden. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,734 in Leiden, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Leiden. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Leiden and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Leiden. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.