Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aachen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aachen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $2,008 in Aachen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $2,994 in Aachen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $3,980 in Aachen, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 15% more than Aachen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Aachen sit above the global median – Lisbon by 69%, Aachen by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$16.60 €14.27

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$65.0 €55.9

-2.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$3.78 €3.25

-15.61%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.92 €2.51

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$3.19 €2.74

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$5.07 €4.36

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$5.72 €4.92

-40.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.38 €1.19

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.00 €1.72

-1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.89 €3.34

-60.93%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$3.44 €2.96

17.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$14.90 €12.81

-9.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$11.10 €9.55

-24.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$21.81 €18.75

-16.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.40 €2.92

-32.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.40 €2.06

-27.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.12 €1.82

-12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.63 €3.12

-27.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.54 €1.33

24.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.55 €1.34

34.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.56 €1.34

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.30 €1.12

-35.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$10.68 €9.18

-36.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$7.16 €6.16

-20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.21 €1.04

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.62 €1.40

37.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$4.01 €3.45

-40.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$73.5 €63.2

-36.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$5.57 €4.78

-25.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.61 €2.24

-56.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$37.63 €32.35

-53.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.19 €1.88

5.94%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$33.5K €28.8K

5.46%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$39.3K €33.8K

5.53%

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

$170 €146

$399 €343

-57.29%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$17.82 €15.32

8.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$49.99 €42.98

-32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$39.58 €34.03

21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$29.06 €24.98

-31.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$16.17 €13.90

-38.65%

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

$717 €617

$770 €662

-6.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$20.5K €17.6K

-14.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$96.0 €82.5

9.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$44.50 €38.26

5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$86.7 €74.5

19.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$137 €117

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$852 €732

96.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$596 €513

113.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,570 €1,350

90.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$1,067 €917

86.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$4,653 €4,000

68.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$3,593 €3,089

29.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$3,715 €3,194

-57.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.96

-4.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Aachen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $852 in Aachen. 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 135% higher in Aachen, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $65.0 in Aachen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $340 – 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

Lisbon vs Aachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon, $2,008 in Aachen – roughly 15% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $3,013 in Aachen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aachen, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon and $65.0 in Aachen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,316 in Lisbon and $2,008 in Aachen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Aachen, where all-in costs run around $2,008, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Aachen 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 $2,008 in Aachen to $2,316 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Aachen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.