Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $882 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,466 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $2,051 in Bacau, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 159% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Bacau is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$11.69 RON 53.1

34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$46.62 RON 212

36.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$8.10 RON 36.84

29.01%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.24 RON 10.17

29.91%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$2.10 RON 9.53

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.90 RON 8.62

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.26 RON 10.27

57.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$3.66 RON 16.65

8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.33 RON 6.04

-18.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.90 RON 4.10

95.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.70 RON 7.72

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.72 RON 16.90

-12.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$8.56 RON 38.90

54.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$6.24 RON 28.35

23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$9.07 RON 41.25

73.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.27 RON 5.76

79.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.60 RON 7.27

3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.64 RON 7.46

23.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.87 RON 8.48

32.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.96 RON 4.38

86.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.82 RON 3.72

152.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.71 RON 3.24

177.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.77 RON 3.50

7.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.87 RON 26.70

11.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$6.61 RON 30.05

-15.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.92 RON 4.19

44.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.29 RON 5.88

133.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.63 RON 2.89

260.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$32.33 RON 147

43.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.61 RON 2.77

593.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.62 RON 2.82

37.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$7.74 RON 35.20

143.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.60 RON 7.29

26.25%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$28.6K RON 129.8K

22.42%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$26.1K RON 118.6K

51.96%

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

$148 €128

$117 RON 530

26.98%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$8.43 RON 38.33

143.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$5.06 RON 22.99

681.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$25.75 RON 117

87.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$22.93 RON 104

-19.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.56 RON 29.84

38.72%

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

$615 €532

$657 RON 2,985

-6.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$5,489 RON 25.0K

196.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$93.3 RON 424

8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$35.15 RON 160

19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$63.7 RON 290

44.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$95.6 RON 435

27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$316 RON 1,438

409.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$181 RON 823

592.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$512 RON 2,328

499.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$369 RON 1,678

451.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$1,889 RON 8,588

310.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,250 RON 5,684

242.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,021 RON 4,642

56.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $316 in Bacau. 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 57% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $47.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $197 – making Bacau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 159%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,323 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $47.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,280 in Lisbon and $882 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.