Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bourges

For one person, living is cheaper in Bourges: $1,946 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Bourges, France
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Bourges
🇫🇷 France
$1,946
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Bourges

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 Bourges actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,946 in Bourges.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Bourges $1,946

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,021 in Bourges.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Bourges $3,021

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,097 in Bourges.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Bourges $4,097

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bourges, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Bourges 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$17.13 €15.35
-2.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$79.4 €71.2
-22.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$13.63 €12.22
-16.65%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$5.27 €4.72
-43.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$4.44 €3.98
-48.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.72 €2.44
-36.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$7.95 €7.13
-57.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$6.77 €6.07
-51.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.14 €1.02
1.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.47 €2.22
-22.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.18 €1.95
-30.73%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$4.36 €3.90
-7.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$22.27 €19.95
-41.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$13.88 €12.44
-44.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$21.97 €19.69
-19.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.22 €2.88
-28.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.19 €1.96
-21.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.89 €2.59
-35.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.13 €3.70
-37.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.80 €1.61
1.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.53 €2.27
-22.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.84 €1.65
-20.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.96 €0.86
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$14.42 €12.92
-54.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$9.19 €8.23
-38.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.77 €2.49
-50.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.63 €3.25
-41.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.86 €1.66
25.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$48.86 €43.78
-8.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$8.77 €7.86
-56.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.44 €1.29
-25.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$46.73 €41.87
-64.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.26 €2.03
-2.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$34.7K €31.1K
-1.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$38.0K €34.0K
2.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$245 €220
-34.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$7.81 €7.00
135.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$30.25 €27.11
8.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$36.16 €32.40
23.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$14.64 €13.12
-34.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,816 €1,628
-63.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$26.5K €23.7K
-33.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$111 €99.6
-8.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$52.0 €46.61
-14.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$121 €108
-18.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$156 €140
-20.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$626 €561
156.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$609 €546
95.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,166 €1,045
141.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,126 €1,009
78.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$4,080 €3,656
92.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$3,031 €2,716
50.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Bourges
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$2,788 €2,498
-43.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.4
13.24%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bourges: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Bourges
$609 48.8% $581
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Bourges
$395 44.9% $122
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Bourges
$323 33.2% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Bourges
$283 33.3% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Bourges
$198 19.4% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Bourges
$65 2.7% $1.7
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Bourges
$72 14.3% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $626 in Bourges. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bourges pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $79 in Bourges for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $395 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇫🇷 Bourges
🕒 Local time
11:08 11:08 AM
12:08 12:08 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
63,702
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Bourges 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Bourges

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 Bourges: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Bourges?
Bourges wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bourges the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Bourges?
On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Bourges?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $626 in Bourges. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Bourges?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $62 versus $79 in Bourges. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Bourges?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,946 in Bourges – Bourges is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Bourges?
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.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Bourges?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bourges are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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