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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $954 in Arzamas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,466 in Arzamas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,978 in Arzamas.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 139% more expensive than in Arzamas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Arzamas is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$9.35 ₽745

68.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$37.43 ₽2,979

69.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$5.73 ₽456

82.37%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.25 ₽179

29.33%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.12 ₽88.8

104.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.51 ₽40.67

194.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.40 ₽112

154.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.49 ₽198

59.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.12 ₽88.8

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.65 ₽52.1

170.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.37 ₽109

24.09%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.70 ₽135

91.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$10.80 ₽859

22.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.92 ₽391

56.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$8.71 ₽693

81.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.72 ₽137

32.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.88 ₽150

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.98 ₽157

2.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.71 ₽215

-8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.83 ₽66.2

115.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.66 ₽52.9

213.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.40 ₽112

40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.72 ₽57.3

15.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$2.85 ₽227

129.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$6.46 ₽514

-13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.01 ₽80.0

31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.88 ₽150

60.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.53 ₽42.05

328.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.91 ₽152

121.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.33 ₽26.23

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$6.51 ₽518

189.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.77 ₽61.3

162.34%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$33.9K ₽2.7M

3.19%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$35.4K ₽2.8M

12.12%

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

$148 €128

$107 ₽8,553

37.66%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$5.82 ₽463

252.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$7.94 ₽632

397.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$35.86 ₽2,854

34.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$5.11 ₽407

78.08%

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

$615 €532

$325 ₽25.9K

89.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,044 ₽560.7K

131.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$70.2 ₽5,587

44.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$45.06 ₽3,586

-6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$114 ₽9,058

-18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$106 ₽8,408

15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$448 ₽35.6K

259.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$300 ₽23.9K

317.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$758 ₽60.3K

304.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$501 ₽39.9K

306.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$2,008 ₽159.8K

285.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,434 ₽114.1K

198.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arzamas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $448 in Arzamas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in Arzamas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $194 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 139% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $954 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $1,431 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $448 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 $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $954 in Arzamas – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Arzamas versus $2,280 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 139% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.