Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $1,007 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $1,502 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $1,996 in Calarasi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 120% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Calarasi is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$10.04 RON 45.20

57.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$27.75 RON 125

125.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$7.87 RON 35.43

33.93%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$2.69 RON 12.11

2.97%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$1.54 RON 6.92

48.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.88 RON 8.49

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.25 RON 10.12

57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.37 RON 15.16

18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.34 RON 6.03

-19.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.06 RON 4.75

66.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.77 RON 7.95

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.28 RON 14.79

-4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$8.96 RON 40.33

48.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$6.92 RON 31.17

15.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$9.00 RON 40.55

76.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.16 RON 5.23

96.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.42 RON 6.39

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.32 RON 5.95

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.96 RON 8.82

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.82 RON 3.67

115.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.90 RON 4.05

118.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.71 RON 3.22

177.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.82 RON 3.68

-2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.80 RON 26.13

12.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$4.38 RON 19.75

31.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$0.92 RON 4.15

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.36 RON 6.12

119.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$0.45 RON 2.01

420.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$13.85 RON 62.4

231.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$0.72 RON 3.23

491.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.61 RON 2.75

37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$5.79 RON 26.06

225.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.60 RON 7.19

29.37%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$25.4K RON 114.4K

38.79%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$27.7K RON 124.6K

39.53%

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

$151 €130

$147 RON 663

2.73%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$8.32 RON 37.47

151.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$7.61 RON 34.27

419.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$69.5 RON 313

-30.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$18.85 RON 84.9

-1.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$6.16 RON 27.74

46.75%

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

$610 €525

$419 RON 1,889

45.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,063 RON 31.8K

130.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$83.4 RON 375

21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$42.55 RON 192

-4.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$74.4 RON 335

24.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$96.6 RON 435

22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$382 RON 1,719

319.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$230 RON 1,036

438.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$593 RON 2,669

409.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$371 RON 1,670

455.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$1,231 RON 5,543

548.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$984 RON 4,431

360.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$772 RON 3,476

110.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.62

-42.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $382 in Calarasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 111% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $195 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon, $1,007 in Calarasi – roughly 120% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $1,510 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $610 per month in Lisbon and $419 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Lisbon at $2,217. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,007 in Calarasi to $2,217 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.