Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arlon

For one person, living is cheaper in Arlon: $2,033 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Arlon, Belgium
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Arlon
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,033
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Arlon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Arlon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,033 in Arlon, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Arlon $2,033

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $3,132 in Arlon, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Arlon $3,132

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $4,232 in Arlon, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Arlon $4,232

Lisbon costs about 9% more than Arlon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Lisbon and Arlon sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Arlon by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$17.02 €15.25
-2.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$91.1 €81.6
-32.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$11.21 €10.04
1.34%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.86 €2.56
3.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.68 €2.40
-14.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.58 €2.31
-32.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$3.41 €3.05
-0.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$4.39 €3.93
-24.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.19 €1.06
-2.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.54 €1.38
24.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$2.36 €2.12
-36.02%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.77 €3.38
6.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$14.58 €13.05
-11.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$11.54 €10.33
-32.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$15.33 €13.73
15.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.05 €2.73
-24.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.09 €0.98
58.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.18 €1.95
-14.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.05 €2.73
-15.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.67 €1.49
8.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.08 €1.86
-5.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.71 €1.53
-14.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.11 €0.99
-35.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$8.99 €8.05
-26.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$7.92 €7.09
-29.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.01 €1.80
-32.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.10 €0.98
94.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.24 €2.00
4.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$41.07 €36.78
8.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$3.95 €3.54
-2.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$2.61 €2.34
-59.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$16.95 €15.18
-2.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.99 €1.78
10.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$35.5K €31.8K
-3.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$36.6K €32.8K
5.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$263 €235
-38.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$24.91 €22.31
-26.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$52.8 €47.29
-37.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$24.29 €21.75
-21.37%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$9.08 €8.13
5.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$851 €763
-21.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$85.4 €76.5
19.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$50.5 €45.24
-12.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$49.54 €44.37
98.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$111 €99.1
11.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$897 €803
79.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$921 €825
29.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$1,681 €1,505
67.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$1,701 €1,523
18.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$4,215 €3,775
85.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$3,897 €3,490
17.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Arlon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,868 €2,568
-45.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.65
5.48%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Arlon: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Arlon
$921 22.6% $269
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Arlon
$302 11.1% $30
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Arlon
$251 3.5% $8.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Arlon
$341 60.4% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Arlon
$133 19.7% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Arlon
$18 * 71.5% $46
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Arlon
$67 6.1% $3.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $897 in Arlon. 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 82% higher in Arlon, 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 $62 in Lisbon versus $91 in Arlon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $302 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇪 Arlon
🕒 Local time
04:45 4:45 AM
05:45 5:45 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
28,759
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Arlon 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Arlon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arlon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Arlon?
Lisbon costs about 9% more than Arlon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Arlon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,050 in Arlon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Arlon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Arlon, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $897 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Arlon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,033 in Arlon. That makes Arlon about 8% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Lisbon compared to Arlon?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Arlon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Arlon?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,033 in Arlon. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Arlon?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,033 in Arlon to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Arlon?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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