Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bistrita Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bistrita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $902 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,446 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $1,991 in Bistrita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 151% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Bistrita is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$7.43 RON 33.62

114.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$45.86 RON 207

38.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$7.07 RON 31.96

46.82%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.82 RON 12.77

-1.06%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.52 RON 6.86

53.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.40 RON 6.31

12.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.69 RON 12.17

27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.79 RON 12.61

40.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.45 RON 6.54

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.22 RON 5.52

45.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.13 RON 5.11

51.33%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$3.40 RON 15.39

-7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$6.78 RON 30.65

101.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.32 RON 28.58

26.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$8.61 RON 38.97

80.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.12 RON 5.08

104.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.51 RON 6.83

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.66 RON 7.49

16.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.12 RON 9.61

18.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.83 RON 3.74

115.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.68 RON 3.07

195.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.07 RON 4.84

84.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.91 RON 4.13

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$5.32 RON 24.09

27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$8.31 RON 37.59

-31.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.99 RON 4.47

40.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.12 RON 5.05

169.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.48 RON 2.16

372.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$22.76 RON 103

99.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.66 RON 2.98

550.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.60 RON 2.72

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.93 RON 31.33

163.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.57 RON 7.11

26.75%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$28.4K RON 128.4K

23.43%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$26.4K RON 119.5K

49.74%

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

$146 €126

$138 RON 625

5.75%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$7.85 RON 35.49

160.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$7.08 RON 32.04

450.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$45.98 RON 208

6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$34.71 RON 157

-45.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.90 RON 31.20

37.97%

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

$608 €524

$425 RON 1,921

43.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$6,909 RON 31.3K

138.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$67.4 RON 305

54.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$35.18 RON 159

19.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$67.9 RON 307

35.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$92.2 RON 417

30.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$242 RON 1,095

569.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$203 RON 916

525.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$422 RON 1,911

621.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$339 RON 1,533

492.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,518 RON 6,868

404.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,213 RON 5,488

256.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,051 RON 4,754

50.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $242 in Bistrita. 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 51% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $46.00 in Bistrita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $197 – making Bistrita 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 Bistrita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 151% more than Bistrita, 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 $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,353 in Bistrita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 36% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $46.00 in Bistrita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bistrita, where all-in costs run around $902, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Bistrita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bistrita costs $902 versus $2,263 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 Bistrita. 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.