Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arad Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $929 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,459 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,990 in Arad, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 149% more than Arad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Arad is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$8.62 RON 38.94

100.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$34.56 RON 156

83.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$7.85 RON 35.47

45.10%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.67 RON 12.08

19.48%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.57 RON 7.07

56.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.68 RON 7.60

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.25 RON 10.18

59.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.57 RON 11.61

31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.18 RON 5.35

5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.25 RON 5.66

58.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.76 RON 7.94

-13.64%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.83 RON 12.78

42.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$7.35 RON 33.22

84.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$4.99 RON 22.54

68.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$10.88 RON 49.13

67.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.78 RON 8.02

28.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.83 RON 8.28

-4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.80 RON 8.15

3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.50 RON 6.77

75.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.83 RON 3.74

131.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.91 RON 4.11

129.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.29 RON 5.83

11.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.82 RON 3.70

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$6.03 RON 27.23

12.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.95 RON 26.89

-4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.25 RON 5.66

10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.80 RON 8.15

23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.97 RON 4.40

147.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$30.73 RON 139

52.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.90 RON 4.08

363.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.09 RON 4.90

4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$11.23 RON 50.7

57.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.82 RON 8.24

27.47%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$28.4K RON 128.5K

24.24%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$26.0K RON 117.7K

59.11%

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

$170 €146

$132 RON 594

29.49%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$8.77 RON 39.60

120.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$7.61 RON 34.39

342.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$36.43 RON 165

32.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$33.75 RON 152

-41.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$5.39 RON 24.35

84.04%

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

$717 €617

$167 RON 753

330.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$4,022 RON 18.2K

334.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$44.82 RON 202

133.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$22.22 RON 100

111.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$73.2 RON 330

41.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$76.7 RON 346

61.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$349 RON 1,579

379.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$235 RON 1,061

441.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$556 RON 2,513

436.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$436 RON 1,969

357.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,516 RON 6,845

416.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,092 RON 4,930

326.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$956 RON 4,320

65.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

7.35

-48.44%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $349 in Arad. 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 66% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $35.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $198 – making Arad 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 Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 149% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,394 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, 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 $35.00 in Arad. 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 $929 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $929 versus $2,316 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Arad. 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.