Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 65% more expensive than Bucharest, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Bucharest 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$13.58 RON 61.5

17.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$68.1 RON 308

-4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.05 RON 36.42

30.56%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.40 RON 15.38

-15.59%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.32 RON 10.51

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.38 RON 10.75

-36.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$3.54 RON 16.01

-1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.01 RON 18.16

-3.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.74 RON 7.89

-34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.42 RON 6.42

23.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.93 RON 8.73

-8.81%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.54 RON 16.01

-9.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.27 RON 41.95

45.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.13 RON 32.25

10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$12.28 RON 55.6

29.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.35 RON 6.12

71.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.74 RON 7.87

-2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.76 RON 7.99

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.40 RON 10.85

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.05 RON 4.73

75.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.96 RON 4.35

108.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.92 RON 4.15

109.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.91 RON 4.10

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.38 RON 28.85

3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.45 RON 29.19

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.22 RON 5.52

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.98 RON 8.96

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.16 RON 5.27

104.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$19.48 RON 88.1

133.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.72 RON 3.26

495.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.62 RON 2.80

32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$6.94 RON 31.39

163.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.71 RON 7.76

20.47%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$29.0K RON 131.1K

18.29%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.3K RON 137.1K

29.69%

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

$148 €127

$178 RON 804

-16.80%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$9.16 RON 41.45

124.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$11.12 RON 50.3

256.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$54.7 RON 247

-12.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$29.04 RON 131

-34.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$9.27 RON 41.97

-0.97%

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

$614 €529

$677 RON 3,063

-9.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

8.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$79.8 RON 361

31.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$45.29 RON 205

-7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$89.2 RON 403

5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$109 RON 494

9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$662 RON 2,996

145.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$432 RON 1,955

190.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,355 RON 6,133

123.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$841 RON 3,806

140.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$3,857 RON 17.5K

102.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$2,305 RON 10.4K

85.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,463 RON 6,623

9.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.1

-46.34%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 10% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $68.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $233, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bucharest differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,336 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 10% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 134% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,336 in Bucharest versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Bucharest 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.