Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bensheim

For one person, living is cheaper in Bensheim: $2,036 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Bensheim, Germany
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Bensheim
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,036
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Bensheim

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Bensheim actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $2,036 in Bensheim.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Bensheim $2,036

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $3,068 in Bensheim.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Bensheim $3,068

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $4,101 in Bensheim.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Bensheim $4,101

Living in Lisbon is roughly 8% more expensive than in Bensheim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 63% above, Bensheim 51% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.08
$16.62 €14.86
1.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.6
$80.0 €71.5
-23.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.82
$13.63 €12.19
-19.44%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.73
$3.98 €3.56
-23.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$3.55 €3.17
-35.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$3.38 €3.02
-50.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$5.16 €4.62
-33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.49
$4.24 €3.79
-7.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.45 €1.30
-20.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.69
$2.18 €1.95
-13.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$3.91 €3.50
-61.64%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.68
$3.83 €3.42
7.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.63
$13.59 €12.15
-4.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.19
$10.42 €9.32
-22.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €16.00
$26.61 €23.79
-32.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$3.36 €3.00
-32.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.23 €2.00
-21.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.92 €1.72
-5.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.40
$3.67 €3.28
-26.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.21 €1.09
46.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.27 €1.13
52.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$1.53 €1.37
-4.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$1.14 €1.02
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.95
$9.87 €8.83
-32.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.04
$5.45 €4.87
3.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.11 €0.99
16.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.53 €1.37
39.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.41 €3.05
-32.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.36
$69.3 €62.0
-36.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.56
$4.13 €3.69
-3.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$2.21 €1.97
-71.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.92
$36.56 €32.69
-48.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.12 €1.89
7.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.8K
$33.6K €30.1K
-0.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.4K
$38.9K €34.8K
-1.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$358 €320
-55.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.68
$26.78 €23.95
-34.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.89
$49.57 €44.33
-37.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.92
$39.58 €35.40
12.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.97
$26.74 €23.91
-29.02%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.56
$14.14 €12.65
-32.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €602
$534 €477
26.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$18.3K €16.3K
2.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$83.3 €74.5
22.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €41.04
$34.71 €31.04
32.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.4
$98.8 €88.3
3.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$134 €120
-9.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,467
$786 €702
108.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,062
$653 €584
81.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,526
$1,495 €1,337
88.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,805
$1,146 €1,024
76.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €7,007
$4,741 €4,240
65.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,204
$3,372 €3,015
39.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Bensheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,508
$4,507 €4,030
-62.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
3.62
5.52%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bensheim: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Bensheim
$653 45% $535
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Bensheim
$342 24.5% $67
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Bensheim
$284 15.7% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Bensheim
$434 110% $227
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Bensheim
$158 5.7% $9.5
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Bensheim
$68 6.4% $4.1
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Bensheim
$98 62.4% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $786 in Bensheim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bensheim pays about 2.7 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $80 in Bensheim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $342 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇩🇪 Bensheim
🕒 Local time
01:48 1:48 AM
02:48 2:48 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
41,124
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Bensheim 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Bensheim

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bensheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Bensheim?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $2,036 in Bensheim, so Bensheim is about 8% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Bensheim?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $786 in Bensheim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Bensheim?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $534 in Bensheim. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Bensheim?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Bensheim gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Bensheim?
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.
Is Lisbon or Bensheim safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bensheim are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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