Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arzamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arzamas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $982 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,501 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,021 in Arzamas.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 127% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Arzamas is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$9.38 ₽705

72.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$37.81 ₽2,840

70.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.79 ₽435

79.27%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.30 ₽173

20.43%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.08 ₽80.9

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.48 ₽36.03

227.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.43 ₽107

144.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.49 ₽187

60.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.10 ₽82.4

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.70 ₽52.3

148.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.37 ₽103

27.01%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.71 ₽129

85.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$11.03 ₽828

21.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.72 ₽355

69.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$9.02 ₽677

78.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.82 ₽136

25.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.86 ₽140

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.91 ₽144

1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.80 ₽210

-9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.86 ₽64.5

112.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.66 ₽49.66

209.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.42 ₽106

39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.66 ₽49.35

28.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.89 ₽217

137.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$6.59 ₽495

-12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.95 ₽71.5

44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.95 ₽146

48.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.49 ₽36.83

365.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.85 ₽139

120.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.35 ₽26.56

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.52 ₽490

180.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.76 ₽57.2

164.47%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$34.5K ₽2.6M

2.10%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$35.2K ₽2.6M

9.48%

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

$145 €124

$108 ₽8,077

35.21%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$5.83 ₽438

259.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$7.60 ₽571

426.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$35.09 ₽2,636

39.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.19 ₽390

74.57%

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

$607 €519

$322 ₽24.2K

88.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,020 ₽527.3K

132.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$69.3 ₽5,208

50.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$43.57 ₽3,273

-6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$113 ₽8,485

-17.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$106 ₽7,971

11.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$451 ₽33.9K

255.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$303 ₽22.7K

308.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$774 ₽58.1K

293.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$506 ₽38.0K

306.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,156 ₽162.0K

257.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,336 ₽100.4K

219.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

15.33

-75.15%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $195 per month, with Arzamas 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 Arzamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Arzamas differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $982 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,472 in Arzamas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $451 in Arzamas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $982 in Arzamas – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas 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 Arzamas 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 Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.