Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Balikesir Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Balikesir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $928 in Balikesir, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,494 in Balikesir, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,059 in Balikesir, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 144% more than Balikesir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Balikesir is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$7.36 ₺357

138.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$28.45 ₺1,381

126.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.83 ₺380

48.79%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.47 ₺168

-6.05%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.38 ₺66.9

80.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.33 ₺15.83

406.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.39 ₺165

2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.21 ₺204

-14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.95 ₺46.36

24.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.99 ₺48.29

96.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.22 ₺108

-29.73%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.96 ₺95.1

104.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.13 ₺395

63.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$3.99 ₺194

111.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$19.09 ₺927

-4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.81 ₺87.8

28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.96 ₺95.0

-11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.15 ₺55.9

67.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.00 ₺48.69

164.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.50 ₺24.45

280.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.38 ₺18.51

455.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.88 ₺42.53

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.74 ₺35.81

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.04 ₺99.1

243.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$10.51 ₺511

-43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.02 ₺97.9

-32.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.45 ₺167

-37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.64 ₺31.00

271.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$41.18 ₺2,000

12.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.11 ₺54.0

277.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.12 ₺54.6

-1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$4.13 ₺200

317.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.29 ₺62.8

74.42%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$44.0K ₺2.1M

-21.70%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$40.7K ₺2.0M

2.29%

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

$171 €147

$64.7 ₺3,143

163.95%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$12.44 ₺604

52.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$15.33 ₺744

123.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$43.56 ₺2,115

13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$31.43 ₺1,526

-37.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.22 ₺205

139.34%

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

$699 €603

$482 ₺23.4K

45.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$12.6K ₺611.1K

41.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$25.18 ₺1,223

315.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$16.83 ₺817

185.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$82.2 ₺3,989

24.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$52.4 ₺2,544

144.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$378 ₺18.3K

340.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$298 ₺14.5K

312.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$797 ₺38.7K

265.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$564 ₺27.4K

258.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$1,179 ₺57.2K

589.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$826 ₺40.1K

461.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,308 ₺63.5K

23.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

39.8

-90.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $378 in Balikesir. 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 24% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $28.00 in Balikesir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $221 – making Balikesir 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 Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 144% more than Balikesir, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,393 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,268 in Lisbon and $928 in Balikesir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Balikesir. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $928, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Balikesir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Balikesir costs $928 versus $2,268 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Balikesir. 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.