Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Botosani

For one person, living is cheaper in Botosani: $893 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Botosani, Romania
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Botosani
🇷🇴 Romania
$893
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Botosani

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Botosani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $893 in Botosani.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Botosani $893

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $1,317 in Botosani.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Botosani $1,317

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $1,740 in Botosani.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Botosani $1,740

Living in Lisbon is roughly 147% more expensive than in Botosani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 63% above, Botosani is 34% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €14.98
$8.28 RON 39.30
103.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.2
$28.25 RON 134
116.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.75
$7.30 RON 34.65
50.41%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.71
$2.20 RON 10.43
38.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.35 RON 6.40
68.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.49
$1.22 RON 5.79
37.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.05
$1.70 RON 8.05
102.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.47
$2.29 RON 10.87
70.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.34 RON 6.36
-14.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.10 RON 5.24
71.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.33
$1.40 RON 6.66
7.14%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$2.81 RON 13.36
46.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.55
$7.19 RON 34.12
80.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.15
$5.88 RON 27.92
36.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.89
$9.26 RON 43.99
93.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.95 RON 4.51
138.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.27 RON 6.02
37.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.44 RON 6.85
26.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$1.81 RON 8.58
48.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$0.74 RON 3.52
139.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$0.54 RON 2.58
259.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$0.80 RON 3.79
82.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.72 RON 3.41
5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.91
$5.91 RON 28.07
12.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.01
$6.46 RON 30.70
-12.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.08 RON 5.11
19.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.53 RON 7.28
39.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.04
$0.76 RON 3.62
202.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.10
$29.76 RON 141
47.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$0.75 RON 3.55
430.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.76 RON 3.60
-15.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.81
$7.48 RON 35.50
153.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.02
$1.84 RON 8.73
23.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.6K
$26.9K RON 127.8K
24.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$25.0K RON 118.7K
53.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$102 RON 486
54.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.58
$7.27 RON 34.52
141.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.70
$7.94 RON 37.69
292.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.66
$31.78 RON 151
40.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.86
$22.91 RON 109
-17.15%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.51
$5.27 RON 25.03
81.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €598
$312 RON 1,480
116.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €90.8
$45.87 RON 218
122.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.77
$30.48 RON 145
50.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €90.8
$61.9 RON 294
65.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €108
$67.3 RON 320
81.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,457
$392 RON 1,862
318.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,055
$282 RON 1,339
321.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,509
$551 RON 2,618
412.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,793
$381 RON 1,811
429.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,960
$1,344 RON 6,382
482.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,176
$976 RON 4,636
381.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Botosani
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,499
$942 RON 4,474
79.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
6.57
-41.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Botosani: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Botosani
$282 76.2% $905
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Botosani
$184 33.1% $91
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Botosani
$138 43.8% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Botosani
$117 43.2% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Botosani
$92 44.8% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Botosani
$42 33.7% $21
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Botosani
$37 38.2% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $392 in Botosani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 79% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $28 in Botosani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $184 per month, with Botosani cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇷🇴 Botosani
🕒 Local time
22:55 10:55 PM
00:55 12:55 AM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
106,847
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Botosani 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Botosani

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Botosani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Botosani?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $893 in Botosani, so Botosani is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Botosani?
Average pay runs 79% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Botosani?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $392 in Botosani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Botosani?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $312 in Botosani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $893 in Botosani versus $2,206 in Lisbon, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Botosani but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Botosani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Botosani?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Botosani safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Botosani are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Botosani?
Expats usually find Botosani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?