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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $966 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,474 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,981 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 140% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Alba Iulia is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$8.77 RON 39.61

97.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$33.62 RON 152

88.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$6.11 RON 27.57

86.42%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.38 RON 10.74

34.03%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.81 RON 8.17

35.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.51 RON 6.83

16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.07 RON 9.34

73.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.23 RON 10.06

52.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.30 RON 5.88

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.21 RON 5.48

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.52 RON 6.88

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.87 RON 12.95

40.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$8.20 RON 37.04

65.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$6.46 RON 29.19

29.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$11.33 RON 51.2

61.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.99 RON 4.45

131.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.37 RON 6.21

27.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.37 RON 6.17

35.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.40 RON 10.82

9.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.74 RON 3.35

159.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.63 RON 2.83

231.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.90 RON 4.07

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.67 RON 3.03

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$5.67 RON 25.58

19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$4.45 RON 20.11

28.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.18 RON 5.33

16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.35 RON 6.09

64.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.80 RON 3.60

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$17.49 RON 79.0

167.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.67 RON 3.00

522.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.70 RON 3.15

62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$4.78 RON 21.59

269.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.64 RON 7.42

41.46%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$29.6K RON 133.7K

19.35%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$25.3K RON 114.4K

63.62%

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

$170 €146

$131 RON 591

30.18%

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

$19.34 €16.63

$7.84 RON 35.38

146.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$9.42 RON 42.53

257.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$30.99 RON 140

55.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$32.48 RON 147

-38.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$5.37 RON 24.24

84.73%

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

$717 €617

$472 RON 2,129

52.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$7,101 RON 32.1K

146.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$40.19 RON 181

160.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.37

$24.56 RON 111

91.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$79.1 RON 357

30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$66.9 RON 302

85.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$312 RON 1,406

438.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$295 RON 1,333

330.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$633 RON 2,859

371.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$495 RON 2,237

302.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,729

$1,673 RON 7,554

367.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,005

$1,454 RON 6,563

220.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$961 RON 4,337

64.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.97

-45.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 65% 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 $283 vs $197 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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 65% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $966 in Alba Iulia – a 140% 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 $966 in Alba Iulia versus $2,316 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 140% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.