Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bethune

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethune: $1,759 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Bethune, France
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Bethune
🇫🇷 France
$1,759
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Bethune

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 Bethune actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,759 in Bethune.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Bethune $1,759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,745 in Bethune.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Bethune $2,745

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,732 in Bethune.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Bethune $3,732

Living in Lisbon is roughly 26% more expensive than in Bethune, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Bethune 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.94
$17.73 €15.91
-6.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.4
$71.4 €64.1
-13.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.19
$13.46 €12.08
-15.60%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$3.15 €2.83
-5.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.71 €2.43
-15.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.64 €1.47
6.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$6.88 €6.17
-50.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.57 €4.99
-40.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.31 €1.18
-11.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.88 €1.68
1.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.91 €2.61
-48.11%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$4.26 €3.82
-5.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.61
$21.31 €19.12
-39.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$12.60 €11.30
-38.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.94
$23.13 €20.76
-23.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$2.89 €2.59
-20.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.14 €1.92
-19.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$2.37 €2.13
-21.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.03 €2.72
-14.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.86 €1.67
-2.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.03 €1.83
-2.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.48 €1.32
-0.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.58 €0.52
24.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$13.77 €12.35
-52.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.03
$7.97 €7.15
-29.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.77 €1.59
-23.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.53 €2.27
-15.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.77 €1.59
31.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.09
$50.0 €44.88
-10.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.22 €1.99
73.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$2.16 €1.94
-50.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.77
$23.84 €21.39
-30.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.97 €1.76
11.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$35.3K €31.6K
-3.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$37.8K €33.9K
2.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$179 €161
-10.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.52
$15.11 €13.56
21.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.37
$30.20 €27.10
8.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.97
$35.27 €31.65
26.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.14
$16.96 €15.22
12.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.61
$10.12 €9.08
-5.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €599
$621 €557
7.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$8,147 €7,311
116.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.5
$87.8 €78.7
16.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.90
$37.83 €33.94
17.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.4
$77.8 €69.8
26.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$97.4 €87.4
27.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,443
$767 €688
109.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,068
$629 €565
89.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,523
$1,473 €1,322
90.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,806
$1,139 €1,022
76.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,034
$4,586 €4,115
70.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,106
$3,479 €3,122
31.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Bethune
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,413
$3,709 €3,329
-57.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.92
-1.79%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bethune: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Bethune
$629 47.1% $561
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Bethune
$361 32.6% $89
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Bethune
$283 16.7% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Bethune
$225 5.8% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Bethune
$135 18.4% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Bethune
$56 12.9% $8.2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Bethune
$70 10.9% $6.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $767 in Bethune. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethune pays about 2.4 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $71 in Bethune for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $361 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇫🇷 Bethune
🕒 Local time
17:19 5:19 PM
18:19 6:19 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
24,992
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Bethune 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Bethune

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 Bethune: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Bethune?
Bethune wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bethune the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Bethune?
On paper, salaries run 58% 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Bethune?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $767 in Bethune. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Bethune?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $621 in Bethune. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Bethune?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Bethune?
At $1,759 in Bethune versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bethune but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bethune the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Bethune?
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.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Bethune?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bethune are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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