Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cottbus Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cottbus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $1,560 in Cottbus, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $2,443 in Cottbus, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $3,326 in Cottbus, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 48% more than Cottbus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lisbon and Cottbus sit above the global median – Lisbon by 69%, Cottbus by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$16.04 €13.79

7.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$80.7 €69.4

-21.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$11.13 €9.57

2.34%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.60 €2.23

22.69%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.65 €2.28

-7.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$3.23 €2.78

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.85 €2.45

25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.53 €3.03

-3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.29 €1.11

-3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.20 €1.89

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.41 €1.21

7.80%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$3.50 €3.01

15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$13.55 €11.65

-0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$11.79 €10.14

-28.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$19.37 €16.65

-5.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.23 €2.77

-29.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.09 €1.80

-16.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.09 €1.79

-11.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.82 €3.28

-31.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.41 €1.21

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.34 €1.15

55.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.53 €1.31

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.03 €0.89

-18.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$9.56 €8.22

-29.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.75 €4.94

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.15 €0.98

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.60 €1.38

38.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$3.25 €2.80

-26.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$52.0 €44.69

-10.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$4.13 €3.55

0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.99 €1.71

-42.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$28.42 €24.43

-37.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.07 €1.78

12.08%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$33.5K €28.8K

5.56%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$39.2K €33.7K

5.66%

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

$170 €146

$181 €156

-5.87%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$17.59 €15.12

9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$46.46 €39.94

-27.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$41.09 €35.33

17.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$17.11 €14.71

16.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$13.78 €11.85

-28.01%

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

$717 €617

$285 €245

151.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$13.1K €11.2K

33.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$57.5 €49.41

82.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$29.06 €24.99

61.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$74.1 €63.7

39.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$77.0 €66.2

60.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$611 €525

174.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$502 €432

153.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,218 €1,047

144.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$863 €742

130.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$2,707 €2,327

189.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$2,076 €1,785

124.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$1,726 €1,484

-8.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.2

18.44%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cottbus: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $611 in Cottbus. 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 9% higher in Cottbus, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $81.0 in Cottbus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $314 – making Lisbon 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 Cottbus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $2,340 in Cottbus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $81.0 in Cottbus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cottbus, where all-in costs run around $1,560, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Cottbus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cottbus – 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 Cottbus. 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.