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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $950 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,487 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,025 in Arzamas.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 138% more expensive than Arzamas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Arzamas is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$9.77 ₽708

63.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$38.36 ₽2,780

65.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$5.59 ₽405

85.69%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.37 ₽172

17.72%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.11 ₽80.6

110.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.52 ₽37.83

201.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.43 ₽104

139.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.46 ₽179

58.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.15 ₽83.4

-6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.69 ₽50.4

156.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.36 ₽98.9

25.74%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.80 ₽131

75.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.75 ₽779

27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.94 ₽358

62.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$8.80 ₽638

76.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.75 ₽127

30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.81 ₽131

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.98 ₽144

-2.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.67 ₽193

-5.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.80 ₽58.2

123.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.72 ₽52.3

179.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.35 ₽98.0

45.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.71 ₽51.8

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.90 ₽210

134.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$6.77 ₽491

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.01 ₽72.9

37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.96 ₽142

54.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.53 ₽38.30

328.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.89 ₽137

126.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.35 ₽25.49

142.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.28 ₽455

191.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.77 ₽56.1

158.44%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$34.0K ₽2.5M

3.04%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$35.9K ₽2.6M

10.06%

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

$146 €126

$110 ₽7,979

32.75%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$6.09 ₽441

235.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$8.03 ₽582

385.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$34.93 ₽2,531

40.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$5.22 ₽378

82.38%

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

$608 €524

$330 ₽23.9K

84.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,082 ₽513.1K

133.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$70.4 ₽5,100

47.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$45.14 ₽3,271

-6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$115 ₽8,368

-20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$107 ₽7,768

11.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$451 ₽32.7K

259.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$309 ₽22.4K

310.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$764 ₽55.4K

298.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$500 ₽36.3K

301.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,217 ₽160.6K

245.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,864 ₽135.1K

132.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $451 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $38.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $196 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 138% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $950 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $1,424 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: $1,621 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 37% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $950 in Arzamas – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Arzamas versus $2,263 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 138% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.