Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Constanta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Constanta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,307 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,122 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $2,937 in Constanta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 72% more expensive than Constanta, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Constanta is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$14.00 RON 60.8

12.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$68.4 RON 297

-7.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$8.00 RON 34.71

29.00%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$3.29 RON 14.29

-14.59%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$1.89 RON 8.19

23.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.30 RON 5.63

16.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$2.34 RON 10.15

44.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$3.27 RON 14.19

19.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.77 RON 7.70

-38.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.28 RON 5.57

36.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.86 RON 8.07

-5.91%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$3.32 RON 14.40

-6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$9.63 RON 41.78

37.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$6.74 RON 29.26

16.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$11.60 RON 50.4

38.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.47 RON 6.38

62.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.79 RON 7.78

-3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.78 RON 7.72

10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.50 RON 10.83

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.02 RON 4.41

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.11 RON 4.81

77.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$0.98 RON 4.25

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.86 RON 3.72

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$6.46 RON 28.04

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$7.07 RON 30.68

-17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.10 RON 4.75

25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$1.86 RON 8.06

56.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$0.66 RON 2.85

246.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$18.52 RON 80.4

153.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$0.94 RON 4.08

338.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.74 RON 3.22

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$7.94 RON 34.46

138.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.67 RON 7.25

25.15%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$27.5K RON 119.5K

27.58%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$27.5K RON 119.4K

44.34%

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

$150 €128

$185 RON 803

-19.21%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$8.06 RON 34.98

154.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$9.29 RON 40.30

321.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$58.4 RON 253

-14.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$36.20 RON 157

-48.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$7.85 RON 34.05

17.20%

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

$624 €533

$542 RON 2,352

15.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$8,256 RON 35.8K

92.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$70.3 RON 305

45.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$64.4 RON 280

-36.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$75.0 RON 325

27.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$81.2 RON 352

49.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$582 RON 2,526

183.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$458 RON 1,987

169.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$1,129 RON 4,899

169.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$866 RON 3,760

137.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,648 RON 11.5K

197.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$2,052 RON 8,905

109.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$994 RON 4,313

57.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.78

-43.81%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Constanta: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $582 in Constanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 58% 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 in Lisbon vs $68 in Constanta. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $229, with Constanta 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 Constanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Constanta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 58% 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $582 in Constanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Constanta – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,307 in Constanta – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,307 in Constanta versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Constanta but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Constanta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Constanta 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 Constanta 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 Constanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.