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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,963 in Aachen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $3,046 in Aachen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $4,129 in Aachen, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 17% more than Aachen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Aachen sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Aachen by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

$16.32 €14.26

-0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

$79.5 €69.5

-20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

$11.60 €10.13

-11.03%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

$4.15 €3.63

-31.81%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$3.38 €2.96

-32.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$3.04 €2.65

-48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

$5.16 €4.51

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$4.72 €4.13

-14.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.25 €1.09

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.24 €1.96

-21.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.37 €2.94

-47.77%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.54 €3.09

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.53

$14.48 €12.65

-8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

$13.76 €12.02

-42.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

$19.75 €17.26

-21.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.15 €2.75

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.81 €1.59

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$2.32 €2.03

-13.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$4.37 €3.82

-44.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.60 €1.40

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.73 €1.51

17.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.85 €1.62

3.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.00 €0.87

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

$9.72 €8.49

-32.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.87

$6.78 €5.93

-17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.06 €0.93

25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.57 €1.37

89.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.54 €3.09

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

$57.9 €50.6

-20.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$5.76 €5.03

-26.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.34 €2.05

-65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

$17.49 €15.28

5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.10 €1.83

-0.95%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$31.3K €27.4K

10.72%

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

$39.2K €34.2K

$38.0K €33.2K

2.97%

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

$148 €129

$357 €312

-58.57%

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

$20.46 €17.88

$19.84 €17.33

3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.56

$52.0 €45.45

-23.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

$35.30 €30.84

35.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

$21.83 €19.07

-14.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

$16.29 €14.23

-43.40%

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

$616 €538

$402 €351

53.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$22.9K €20.0K

-28.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$111 €97.0

-7.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

$45.34 €39.61

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

$84.7 €74.0

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$136 €119

-10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

$834 €728

95.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

$606 €530

103.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

$1,427 €1,247

117.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

$1,200 €1,048

69.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

$4,538 €3,965

72.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

$3,533 €3,087

24.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

$3,501 €3,059

-54.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.97

-4.03%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Aachen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $834 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 118% 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 $79.0 in Aachen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $341 – 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

Lisbon costs about 17% more than Aachen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $2,945 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 $79.0 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,963 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 $1,963, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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 $1,963 in Aachen to $2,291 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.