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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $914 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,444 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $1,974 in Bistrita, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 149% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Bistrita is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$7.31 RON 33.23

115.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$46.41 RON 211

36.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$7.02 RON 31.92

48.86%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.69 RON 12.22

8.18%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.54 RON 6.99

48.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.34 RON 6.11

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.84 RON 12.89

25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.80 RON 12.72

41.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.44 RON 6.56

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.27 RON 5.78

38.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.18 RON 5.36

44.07%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.36 RON 15.29

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$6.73 RON 30.61

96.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$6.27 RON 28.49

22.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$9.01 RON 40.96

75.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.17 RON 5.31

94.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.56 RON 7.11

6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.68 RON 7.62

20.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.14 RON 9.75

15.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.75 RON 3.41

138.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.68 RON 3.09

204.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.01 RON 4.60

95.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.87 RON 3.95

-4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.23 RON 23.77

25.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$8.28 RON 37.65

-32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.02 RON 4.65

30.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.16 RON 5.28

159.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.44 RON 1.99

415.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$23.00 RON 105

101.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.61 RON 2.75

593.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.65 RON 2.97

30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$6.86 RON 31.18

174.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.53 RON 6.96

32.03%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$28.4K RON 129.1K

23.14%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$26.6K RON 121.1K

48.81%

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

$148 €128

$143 RON 649

3.65%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$7.82 RON 35.57

162.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$6.97 RON 31.67

467.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$46.56 RON 212

3.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$34.13 RON 155

-46.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.95 RON 31.59

30.94%

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

$615 €532

$429 RON 1,952

43.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$6,858 RON 31.2K

137.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$67.4 RON 307

50.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$34.53 RON 157

21.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$68.8 RON 313

34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$94.8 RON 431

28.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$239 RON 1,087

573.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$201 RON 915

522.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$422 RON 1,918

627.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$331 RON 1,504

515.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$1,549 RON 7,044

400.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,206 RON 5,485

255.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,063 RON 4,832

50.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $239 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: $267 vs $199 – 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 149% 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 $3,420 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 34% 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 $914, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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 $2,280 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.