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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $899 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,454 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $2,010 in Bacau, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 152% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Bacau is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$11.29 RON 51.1

41.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$45.51 RON 206

39.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$8.28 RON 37.43

25.36%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.19 RON 9.93

27.40%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.18 RON 9.85

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.88 RON 8.53

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.23 RON 10.11

53.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.53 RON 15.97

10.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.35 RON 6.09

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.85 RON 3.83

108.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.70 RON 7.69

0.59%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$3.75 RON 16.98

-16.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$8.61 RON 38.96

58.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.16 RON 27.86

30.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$9.34 RON 42.25

66.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.25 RON 5.67

83.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.57 RON 7.11

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.72 RON 7.80

12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.83 RON 8.27

37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.90 RON 4.07

98.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.87 RON 3.96

131.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.67 RON 3.02

194.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.75 RON 3.38

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$5.74 RON 25.98

18.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$6.72 RON 30.41

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.92 RON 4.18

51.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.33 RON 6.03

127.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.64 RON 2.90

254.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$31.92 RON 144

42.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.63 RON 2.84

580.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.62 RON 2.80

37.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$7.38 RON 33.38

147.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.60 RON 7.26

24.37%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$27.9K RON 126.0K

25.76%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$26.2K RON 118.5K

50.97%

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

$146 €126

$117 RON 528

25.23%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$8.35 RON 37.78

144.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$5.17 RON 23.37

653.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$24.99 RON 113

96.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$22.58 RON 102

-16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.59 RON 29.83

44.46%

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

$608 €524

$644 RON 2,913

-5.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$5,313 RON 24.0K

210.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$92.5 RON 418

12.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$35.73 RON 162

17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$63.1 RON 286

46.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$98.7 RON 447

21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$316 RON 1,432

412.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$187 RON 846

577.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$503 RON 2,276

505.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$370 RON 1,675

442.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,846 RON 8,352

315.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,248 RON 5,647

246.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,037 RON 4,693

52.76%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bacau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 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 53% 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 $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 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 152%, 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 $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,348 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 $46.00 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 $2,263 in Lisbon and $899 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 $899, than in Lisbon at $2,263. 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.