Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arnhem Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arnhem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,209 in Arnhem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,392 in Arnhem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,574 in Arnhem.

Monthly costs are close between Lisbon and Arnhem; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Arnhem 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$18.82 €16.21

-15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$71.1 €61.2

-8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$13.12 €11.30

-19.89%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.23 €3.64

-32.15%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.21 €2.76

-30.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.48 €2.14

-39.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$6.34 €5.46

-44.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.22 €4.50

-25.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.23 €1.06

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.42 €2.08

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.23 €2.78

-45.51%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.77 €4.11

-32.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$13.94 €12.01

-3.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$17.09 €14.72

-53.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$17.13 €14.75

-7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.39 €2.05

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.49 €2.14

-31.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.94 €1.67

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.14 €3.57

-40.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.18 €1.88

-15.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.16 €1.86

-7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.24 €1.07

55.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.78 €0.68

1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$14.52 €12.50

-54.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$7.18 €6.18

-20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.36 €1.18

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.74 €2.36

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$4.23 €3.64

-43.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$117 €101

-61.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.86 €3.33

11.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.62 €2.26

-68.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$27.68 €23.84

-33.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.20 €1.89

-6.36%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.5K €32.3K

-8.65%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.2K €33.8K

0.21%

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

$148 €127

$265 €228

-44.22%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$29.80 €25.66

-31.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$52.6 €45.29

-24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$42.61 €36.69

12.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$7.59 €6.54

149.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$14.99 €12.91

-38.76%

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

$614 €529

$1,866 €1,607

-67.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,166 €5,309

160.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$94.3 €81.2

10.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$17.69 €15.23

137.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$85.6 €73.7

9.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$88.7 €76.4

34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,163 €1,002

39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$873 €752

43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$2,070 €1,782

46.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,657 €1,427

21.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$5,398 €4,648

44.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$4,238 €3,649

0.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$3,834 €3,301

-58.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.25

17.23%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arnhem: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,163 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 139% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $71.0 in Arnhem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $354 per month, with Lisbon 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 Arnhem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Arnhem earns 139% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,163 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Arnhem runs roughly 157% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,209 in Arnhem versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Arnhem but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Arnhem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Arnhem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Arnhem wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.