Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ciuciuleni Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ciuciuleni

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $687 in Ciuciuleni, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,095 in Ciuciuleni, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,504 in Ciuciuleni, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 222% more than Ciuciuleni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Ciuciuleni is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$8.81 MDL 151

80.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$36.37 MDL 625

78.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.42 MDL 128

41.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.85 MDL 31.84

55.14%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.99 MDL 16.95

126.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.64 MDL 11.09

134.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.79 MDL 30.83

94.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.29 MDL 39.31

69.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.27 MDL 21.83

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.56 MDL 9.60

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.46 MDL 25.09

20.55%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.51 MDL 43.11

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.50 MDL 180

28.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.34 MDL 91.8

48.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$8.74 MDL 150

81.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.90 MDL 15.48

156.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.76 MDL 30.30

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.75 MDL 30.10

14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.10 MDL 36.11

17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.83 MDL 14.35

121.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.55 MDL 9.48

263.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.30 MDL 22.35

48.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.88 MDL 15.06

-10.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.15 MDL 54.2

109.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.61 MDL 79.2

24.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.23 MDL 21.14

11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.92 MDL 33.02

54.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.10 MDL 36.13

104.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.27 MDL 4.68

203.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$5.12 MDL 88.0

257.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.41 MDL 24.27

46.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$32.1K MDL 551.4K

6.86%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$31.2K MDL 536.2K

25.97%

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

$148 €127

$169 MDL 2,911

-12.68%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$7.75 MDL 133

164.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$11.02 MDL 189

259.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.39 MDL 127

24.22%

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

$614 €528

$394 MDL 6,780

55.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,570 MDL 130.1K

112.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$66.4 MDL 1,141

57.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$54.8 MDL 942

-23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$111 MDL 1,914

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$124 MDL 2,126

-3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.24

-58.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ciuciuleni: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Ciuciuleni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $190 – making Ciuciuleni 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 Ciuciuleni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 222%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,031 in Ciuciuleni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $687 in Ciuciuleni. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $394 in Ciuciuleni. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ciuciuleni, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Ciuciuleni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ciuciuleni – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ciuciuleni. 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.