Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bochum Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bochum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,927 in Bochum, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $2,972 in Bochum, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $4,016 in Bochum, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 19% more than Bochum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Bochum sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Bochum by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$17.68 €15.48

-8.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$75.7 €66.3

-16.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.49 €10.07

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.76 €3.30

-24.73%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.96 €2.59

-22.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.77 €2.42

-42.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$5.69 €4.99

-40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$4.09 €3.58

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.21 €1.06

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.17 €1.90

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.24 €2.84

-45.68%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.74 €3.27

-15.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.80 €12.96

-10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$14.83 €12.99

-46.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$21.03 €18.42

-26.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.30 €2.89

-28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.80 €1.58

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.35 €2.05

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$5.11 €4.48

-52.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.66 €1.45

6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.70 €1.49

19.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.96 €1.72

-2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.08 €0.94

-21.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$9.30 €8.14

-29.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.52 €4.83

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.06 €0.93

25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.68 €1.48

76.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.92 €3.43

-41.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$56.7 €49.69

-19.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$5.81 €5.09

-27.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.00 €1.75

-59.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$34.47 €30.19

-46.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.02 €1.77

2.97%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$30.9K €27.1K

12.05%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$33.2K €29.0K

18.07%

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

$148 €130

$402 €352

-63.14%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$36.33 €31.82

-43.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$54.6 €47.79

-27.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$30.33 €26.57

58.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$23.50 €20.58

-20.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$17.62 €15.43

-47.67%

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

$616 €540

$412 €361

49.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$14.3K €12.5K

15.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$85.3 €74.7

20.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$45.62 €39.95

-8.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$107 €93.9

-11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$142 €124

-13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$685 €600

138.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$497 €436

147.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,248 €1,093

148.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,036 €907

96.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$4,032 €3,531

94.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$4,356 €3,815

0.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$2,711 €2,374

-40.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.97

-4.03%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bochum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $685 in Bochum. 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 69% higher in Bochum, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $76.0 in Bochum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $355 – 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 Bochum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon, $1,927 in Bochum – roughly 19% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $2,891 in Bochum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $76.0 in Bochum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,927 in Bochum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bochum, where all-in costs run around $1,927, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Bochum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,927 in Bochum to $2,291 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bochum. 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.