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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $914 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,431 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $1,949 in Bistrita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 144% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Bistrita is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$7.50 RON 32.68

115.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$45.88 RON 200

40.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$7.01 RON 30.58

48.07%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.71 RON 11.81

2.21%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.49 RON 6.49

51.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.41 RON 6.14

11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.78 RON 12.12

25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.75 RON 11.98

45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.44 RON 6.27

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.22 RON 5.31

42.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.17 RON 5.12

48.72%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.28 RON 14.29

-3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$6.87 RON 29.94

95.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.04 RON 26.35

32.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.96 RON 39.07

79.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.17 RON 5.10

94.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.59 RON 6.94

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.66 RON 7.22

16.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.15 RON 9.36

18.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.82 RON 3.56

123.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.71 RON 3.09

187.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.06 RON 4.60

86.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.89 RON 3.87

-4.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.27 RON 22.96

29.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.04 RON 30.72

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.00 RON 4.36

37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.13 RON 4.94

156.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.45 RON 1.95

406.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$22.99 RON 100

103.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.65 RON 2.83

527.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.61 RON 2.68

34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.73 RON 29.36

171.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.51 RON 6.60

33.11%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$28.4K RON 123.7K

24.31%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.1K RON 113.7K

47.61%

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

$145 €124

$139 RON 605

4.71%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$8.13 RON 35.46

157.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$6.77 RON 29.54

491.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$46.67 RON 204

4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$34.16 RON 149

-45.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$7.10 RON 30.96

27.61%

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

$607 €519

$433 RON 1,887

40.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$6,893 RON 30.1K

136.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$68.8 RON 300

52.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$35.10 RON 153

16.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$68.0 RON 296

37.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$92.2 RON 402

28.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$240 RON 1,046

568.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$201 RON 874

516.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$422 RON 1,841

621.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$332 RON 1,450

518.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,578 RON 6,880

388.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,263 RON 5,507

237.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,097 RON 4,785

44.35%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $240 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 44% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $46.00 in Bistrita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $195 – 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 144% 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,371 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 39% 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 $65.0 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 $914, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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 $914 versus $2,227 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.