Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brasov Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Brasov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,360 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,208 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,056 in Brasov.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 69% more expensive than in Brasov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Brasov is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$12.33 RON 56.6

42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$54.5 RON 250

15.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.83 RON 35.95

47.89%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.79 RON 17.41

-18.21%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.46 RON 11.27

1.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.34 RON 10.76

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$3.31 RON 15.20

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.50 RON 16.04

-1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.59 RON 7.28

-27.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.49 RON 6.84

28.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.80 RON 8.28

-16.67%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.56 RON 16.33

11.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$9.07 RON 41.63

46.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$7.26 RON 33.31

10.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$13.19 RON 60.5

36.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.60 RON 7.35

46.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.59 RON 7.31

10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.67 RON 7.67

10.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.71 RON 12.46

-5.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.81 RON 3.71

127.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.94 RON 4.31

123.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.93 RON 4.29

60.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.79 RON 3.61

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$6.55 RON 30.03

8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$7.72 RON 35.44

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.29 RON 5.93

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.95 RON 8.95

9.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.13 RON 5.20

108.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$24.51 RON 112

90.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.70 RON 3.22

482.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.66 RON 3.02

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$6.91 RON 31.73

147.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.91 RON 8.77

20.94%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.1K RON 133.5K

17.29%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

53.44%

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

$169 €147

$185 RON 848

-8.75%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$8.06 RON 36.98

139.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$9.60 RON 44.05

249.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$59.9 RON 275

-18.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$14.45 RON 66.3

34.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$9.72 RON 44.58

-1.54%

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

$696 €607

$470 RON 2,157

48.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,272 RON 33.4K

138.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$55.3 RON 254

90.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$36.85 RON 169

29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$79.3 RON 364

26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$93.4 RON 428

33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$715 RON 3,282

132.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$493 RON 2,260

152.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,357 RON 6,225

118.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,065 RON 4,888

92.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$3,296 RON 15.1K

137.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,468 RON 11.3K

80.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$1,145 RON 5,254

42.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

7.2

-47.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Brasov: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $715 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 42% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $54.0 in Brasov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $236 per month, with Brasov cheaper across the board.

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 Brasov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Brasov differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,360 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $715 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,360 in Brasov – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,360 in Brasov versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Brasov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.