Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $941 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,435 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,928 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 144% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Alba Iulia is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$9.30 RON 42.64

74.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$34.22 RON 157

85.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$6.24 RON 28.62

65.38%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.53 RON 11.62

11.86%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.89 RON 8.68

21.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.63 RON 7.48

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.17 RON 9.97

56.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.25 RON 10.32

79.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.39 RON 6.38

-21.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.26 RON 5.77

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.57 RON 7.22

12.10%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.07 RON 14.06

3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$8.32 RON 38.18

58.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.58 RON 30.19

21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$11.68 RON 53.6

32.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.01 RON 4.65

134.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.43 RON 6.55

19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.39 RON 6.38

44.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.44 RON 11.19

-0.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.84 RON 3.84

109.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.64 RON 2.95

217.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.87 RON 4.01

120.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.71 RON 3.26

19.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.73 RON 26.27

14.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$4.31 RON 19.76

29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.10 RON 5.03

20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.41 RON 6.46

110.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.78 RON 3.56

192.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$17.17 RON 78.8

166.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.76 RON 3.51

456.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.74 RON 3.41

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$5.09 RON 23.33

262.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.52 RON 6.96

36.84%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$27.7K RON 126.9K

25.30%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$28.3K RON 129.9K

38.27%

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

$148 €130

$138 RON 635

6.99%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$7.83 RON 35.92

161.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$9.00 RON 41.26

339.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$32.27 RON 148

48.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$35.05 RON 161

-46.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$5.57 RON 25.56

65.53%

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

$616 €539

$450 RON 2,066

36.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,467 RON 29.7K

154.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$42.67 RON 196

140.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$26.13 RON 120

59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$84.5 RON 388

12.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$70.2 RON 322

73.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$317 RON 1,454

415.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$274 RON 1,259

348.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$538 RON 2,469

475.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$443 RON 2,030

358.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$1,675 RON 7,683

367.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,415 RON 6,490

210.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$944 RON 4,330

70.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.7

-50.52%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 70% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $202 per month, with Alba Iulia 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

Lisbon vs Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $941 in Alba Iulia – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 167% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $941 in Alba Iulia versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alba Iulia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.