Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bielefeld Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bielefeld

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,949 in Bielefeld, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $3,002 in Bielefeld, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $4,056 in Bielefeld, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 13% more than Bielefeld, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Bielefeld sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Bielefeld by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$14.00 €12.06

13.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$77.4 €66.7

-16.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$12.68 €10.92

-17.11%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.87 €3.33

-25.84%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.91 €2.50

-23.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.25 €1.94

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.15 €4.43

-32.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.24 €4.51

-25.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.30 €1.12

-12.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.25 €1.93

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.35 €2.88

-47.46%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.78 €3.25

-14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$14.75 €12.70

-8.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$15.01 €12.92

-47.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$19.60 €16.87

-19.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.09 €2.66

-25.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.80 €1.55

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.26 €1.94

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$5.41 €4.66

-54.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.55 €1.33

18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.54 €1.33

29.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.99 €1.71

-3.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.04 €0.90

-24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$10.03 €8.64

-34.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$5.84 €5.03

-2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.07 €0.92

28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.71 €1.47

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.67 €3.16

-35.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$57.2 €49.29

-20.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$7.26 €6.25

-40.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.12 €1.82

-61.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$50.3 €43.29

-63.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.99 €1.71

3.52%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$30.8K €26.6K

11.12%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$36.3K €31.3K

8.26%

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

$148 €127

$320 €276

-53.84%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$36.79 €31.68

-44.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$55.3 €47.62

-28.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$40.61 €34.97

17.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.78 €19.62

-16.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$15.14 €13.04

-39.37%

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

$614 €529

$687 €591

-10.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$10.3K €8,858

56.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$82.8 €71.3

26.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$34.63 €29.82

21.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$113 €97.5

-17.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$149 €129

-19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$587 €506

177.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$614 €529

104.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,051 €905

188.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,179 €1,015

71.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$4,822 €4,152

61.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,359 €2,032

81.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$2,980 €2,566

-46.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.96

-3.79%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bielefeld: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $587 in Bielefeld. 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 86% higher in Bielefeld, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $77.0 in Bielefeld. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $353 – making Lisbon 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 Bielefeld: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 13% more than Bielefeld, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,923 in Bielefeld. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $77.0 in Bielefeld. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bielefeld, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Bielefeld it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bielefeld – 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 Bielefeld. 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.