Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bergamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bergamo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,689 in Bergamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,555 in Bergamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,420 in Bergamo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 36% more expensive than in Bergamo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Bergamo 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.23

$15.94 €13.80

10.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.4

$87.8 €76.0

-28.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.03

$11.43 €9.90

1.31%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.68

$1.92 €1.66

61.46%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$3.40 €2.94

-26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.37 €1.19

27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.01

$5.68 €4.92

-38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$5.90 €5.11

-41.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.44 €1.25

-20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$2.10 €1.82

-9.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$3.06 €2.65

-50.98%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$3.85 €3.33

3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.51

$15.15 €13.11

-12.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$12.03 €10.41

-33.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.62

$17.04 €14.75

5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.28 €1.98

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.72 €1.49

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.35 €2.04

-21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$2.66 €2.30

-4.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.88 €1.63

-2.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.21 €1.91

-4.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.84 €1.59

-19.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.48 €0.41

70.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$7.48 €6.48

-5.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.11

$4.31 €3.74

37.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.29 €1.12

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.92 €1.66

10.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.93 €1.67

22.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.36

$45.34 €39.25

2.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$10.68 €9.25

-61.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.29 €1.99

-50.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.80

$40.88 €35.39

-58.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.99 €1.72

16.08%

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

$34.1K €29.5K

$36.7K €31.8K

-7.12%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$35.2K €30.5K

17.60%

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

$169 €146

$204 €177

-17.38%

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

$19.33 €16.74

$9.04 €7.83

113.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.01

$29.64 €25.66

13.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.28

$32.60 €28.22

49.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.82

$23.64 €20.47

-17.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.28

$11.69 €10.12

-18.14%

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

$696 €602

$579 €501

20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$14.0K €12.2K

23.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.2

$77.5 €67.1

35.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.34

$33.40 €28.91

42.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.0

$91.1 €78.9

10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$107 €93.0

15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,439

$752 €651

120.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,079

$601 €520

107.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,566

$1,381 €1,196

114.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,773

$957 €828

114.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,782

$3,643 €3,154

115.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,865

$2,646 €2,290

68.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,412

$2,468 €2,136

-33.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.06

23.53%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bergamo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $752 in Bergamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergamo pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $88.0 in Bergamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $306 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Bergamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bergamo differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,689 including rent). Bergamo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Bergamo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $752 in Bergamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bergamo – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,689 in Bergamo – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,689 in Bergamo versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bergamo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bergamo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bergamo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bergamo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.