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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $962 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,464 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,967 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 130% more expensive than Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Alba Iulia is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$9.07 RON 41.02

75.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$34.38 RON 155

88.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$6.27 RON 28.34

67.62%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.41 RON 10.89

19.09%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.90 RON 8.57

17.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.64 RON 7.42

-8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.25 RON 10.18

55.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.31 RON 10.45

67.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.37 RON 6.17

-16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.24 RON 5.61

41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.63 RON 7.38

7.98%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.04 RON 13.74

5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$8.64 RON 39.05

56.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.62 RON 29.91

19.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.88 RON 53.7

33.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.98 RON 4.42

135.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.42 RON 6.44

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.36 RON 6.16

47.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.39 RON 10.81

2.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.78 RON 3.54

135.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.61 RON 2.75

227.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.87 RON 3.95

121.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.66 RON 2.99

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$5.83 RON 26.37

13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.32 RON 19.51

32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.14 RON 5.16

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.34 RON 6.08

121.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.83 RON 3.76

185.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$17.22 RON 77.8

164.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.71 RON 3.19

504.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.77 RON 3.46

6.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$5.21 RON 23.54

251.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.52 RON 6.88

35.53%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.0K RON 126.7K

22.27%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$27.3K RON 123.4K

43.94%

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

$148 €127

$137 RON 619

7.95%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$8.11 RON 36.66

153.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$9.06 RON 40.94

337.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$31.74 RON 144

50.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$34.20 RON 155

-44.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.42 RON 24.50

69.37%

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

$614 €528

$454 RON 2,050

35.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,512 RON 29.4K

146.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$42.24 RON 191

147.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$26.28 RON 119

60.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$81.6 RON 369

15.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$70.1 RON 317

70.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$323 RON 1,460

403.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$273 RON 1,233

360.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$550 RON 2,485

451.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$451 RON 2,039

347.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,683 RON 7,606

363.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,471 RON 6,650

190.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$958 RON 4,331

67.36%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 67% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 67% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $962 in Alba Iulia – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 165% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $962 in Alba Iulia versus $2,210 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 130% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.