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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,323 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,009 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,696 in Constanta.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 71% more expensive than in Constanta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Constanta is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.09

$13.10 RON 59.2

33.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.5

$67.5 RON 305

-4.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.01

$7.78 RON 35.12

49.74%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.80

$3.31 RON 14.95

-1.51%

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

$2.49 €2.14

$1.82 RON 8.22

36.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.30 RON 5.87

28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.16 RON 9.75

60.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.07

$3.24 RON 14.65

10.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.72 RON 7.78

-31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.31 RON 5.89

48.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.74 RON 7.88

-10.34%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.45

$3.06 RON 13.80

31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.41

$8.96 RON 40.47

48.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.24

$5.95 RON 26.89

41.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.68

$9.37 RON 42.33

94.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.36 RON 6.15

70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.75 RON 7.89

-1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.64 RON 7.42

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.74 RON 12.38

-3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.02 RON 4.63

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.04 RON 4.68

102.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.05 RON 4.74

37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.92 RON 4.16

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.03

$6.55 RON 29.56

7.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.09

$6.82 RON 30.81

-13.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.07 RON 4.82

27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.80 RON 8.12

19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.63 RON 2.85

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.74

$17.52 RON 79.1

163.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.60

$0.85 RON 3.82

392.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.94

$0.86 RON 3.89

27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.84

$7.86 RON 35.48

119.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.85 RON 8.36

21.62%

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

$34.5K €29.6K

$29.2K RON 131.9K

17.98%

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

$41.6K €35.8K

$25.5K RON 115.0K

63.40%

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

$171 €147

$176 RON 797

-3.15%

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

$19.01 €16.34

$8.14 RON 36.74

133.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.48

$8.72 RON 39.40

293.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.69

$57.6 RON 260

-13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.77

$14.22 RON 64.2

37.20%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.68

$7.06 RON 31.88

43.06%

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

$699 €601

$591 RON 2,668

18.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,122 RON 36.7K

118.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.9

$70.2 RON 317

48.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.24

$48.40 RON 219

-0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$91.2 RON 412

11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$89.4 RON 404

43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,428

$626 RON 2,828

165.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,056

$491 RON 2,216

150.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,506

$1,105 RON 4,992

163.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,740

$776 RON 3,506

160.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €6,989

$2,583 RON 11.7K

214.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,985

$2,100 RON 9,485

120.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,392

$1,001 RON 4,520

61.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.99

-45.92%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Constanta: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $626 in Constanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 62% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $68.0 in Constanta. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $215, 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $626 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 $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,323 in Constanta – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,323 in Constanta versus $2,268 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 71% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.