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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $886 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,475 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $2,063 in Bacau, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 151% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Bacau is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$11.62 RON 50.7

39.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$46.60 RON 203

38.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.13 RON 35.44

27.68%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.27 RON 9.91

22.03%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.14 RON 9.31

5.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.82 RON 7.94

-13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.28 RON 9.93

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.53 RON 15.41

13.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.38 RON 6.03

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.85 RON 3.71

104.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.71 RON 7.45

1.75%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.66 RON 15.96

-13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$8.60 RON 37.49

56.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.43 RON 28.02

24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$9.15 RON 39.91

75.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.22 RON 5.31

86.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.62 RON 7.07

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.68 RON 7.31

15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.84 RON 8.01

38.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.96 RON 4.18

90.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.89 RON 3.89

129.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.72 RON 3.15

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.79 RON 3.46

7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.86 RON 25.56

16.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.03 RON 30.64

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.94 RON 4.09

45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.28 RON 5.59

126.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.65 RON 2.81

250.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$32.34 RON 141

44.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.63 RON 2.73

547.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.65 RON 2.84

26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$7.44 RON 32.45

145.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.53 RON 6.66

31.37%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$28.4K RON 123.9K

24.09%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.2K RON 114.4K

46.74%

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

$145 €124

$114 RON 499

27.13%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$8.38 RON 36.55

150.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$5.07 RON 22.12

689.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$25.14 RON 110

94.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.01 RON 100

-18.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.49 RON 28.30

39.60%

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

$607 €519

$643 RON 2,805

-5.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,453 RON 23.8K

199.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$93.0 RON 405

12.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$34.45 RON 150

18.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$62.4 RON 272

50.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$95.9 RON 418

23.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$326 RON 1,423

391.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$182 RON 794

578.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$502 RON 2,190

506.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$361 RON 1,575

469.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,930 RON 8,416

299.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,279 RON 5,578

233.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,060 RON 4,620

49.50%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bacau: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $326 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 50% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $47.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $199 – 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 151%, 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,329 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 $65.0 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 $2,227 in Lisbon and $886 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 $886, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.