Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bremen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bremen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,994 in Bremen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $3,062 in Bremen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $4,131 in Bremen.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bremen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Bremen 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$17.70 €15.33

-11.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$69.4 €60.1

-8.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$11.59 €10.04

-9.84%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$4.27 €3.70

-31.85%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$3.15 €2.73

-27.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.84 €2.46

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$5.64 €4.88

-36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.40 €3.81

-10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.32 €1.14

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.27 €1.97

-22.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$3.22 €2.79

-47.20%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.95 €3.42

-17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$14.91 €12.91

-11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$14.25 €12.34

-45.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$21.04 €18.22

-25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.27 €2.83

-30.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.79 €1.55

-7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.31 €2.00

-12.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$4.80 €4.16

-48.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.63 €1.41

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.62 €1.40

27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.06 €1.78

-4.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.23 €1.06

-32.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$10.23 €8.86

-35.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$5.65 €4.89

-1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.04 €0.90

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.64 €1.42

83.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$3.54 €3.06

-35.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$67.8 €58.7

-31.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$5.47 €4.74

-22.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.25 €1.95

-62.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$43.32 €37.51

-56.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.01 €1.74

0.50%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$31.5K €27.3K

11.00%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$38.9K €33.7K

1.81%

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

$148 €128

$297 €257

-50.13%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$33.37 €28.90

-38.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$50.8 €44.02

-22.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$38.88 €33.67

23.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$26.52 €22.97

-30.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$13.99 €12.11

-34.95%

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

$615 €532

$497 €430

23.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$13.9K €12.1K

16.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$127 €110

-19.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$62.9 €54.4

-33.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$87.5 €75.7

5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$153 €132

-20.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$910 €788

77.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$605 €524

107.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,563 €1,353

96.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,241 €1,075

64.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$5,172 €4,479

49.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$4,148 €3,592

3.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$3,264 €2,826

-50.92%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Bremen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $910 in Bremen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bremen pays 104% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $69.0 in Bremen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $355 per month, with Lisbon 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 Bremen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bremen differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,994 including rent). Bremen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 104% lower in Bremen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $910 in Bremen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bremen – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,994 in Bremen – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,994 in Bremen versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bremen but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bremen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bremen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bremen 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 Bremen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.