Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,106 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,643 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,180 in Craiova.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 101% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Craiova is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$9.06 RON 39.52

78.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$45.77 RON 200

41.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.27 RON 36.06

25.51%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.49 RON 10.84

11.24%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.19 RON 9.53

2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.96 RON 8.56

-19.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.37 RON 10.32

47.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.44 RON 14.98

16.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.57 RON 6.83

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.99 RON 4.31

75.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.69 RON 7.38

2.96%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.35 RON 14.60

-5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.70 RON 33.59

74.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.71 RON 29.25

19.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$9.78 RON 42.65

64.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.27 RON 5.53

79.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.66 RON 7.25

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.57 RON 6.85

23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.82 RON 7.94

39.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.03 RON 4.50

77.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.10 RON 4.78

85.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.85 RON 3.70

132.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.76 RON 3.31

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.95 RON 25.95

15.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$6.35 RON 27.67

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.25 RON 5.47

9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.19 RON 9.55

32.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.71 RON 3.09

221.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$23.01 RON 100

103.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.61 RON 2.65

568.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.81 RON 3.54

1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$6.87 RON 29.96

165.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.57 RON 6.83

28.03%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$27.9K RON 121.4K

26.60%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$27.4K RON 119.4K

40.58%

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

$145 €124

$207 RON 902

-29.73%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$7.90 RON 34.45

165.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$11.74 RON 51.2

241.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$36.46 RON 159

33.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$18.49 RON 80.6

1.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$6.75 RON 29.43

34.22%

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

$607 €519

$445 RON 1,941

36.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$8,844 RON 38.6K

84.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$78.9 RON 344

32.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$37.74 RON 165

8.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$78.6 RON 343

19.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$85.5 RON 373

38.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$382 RON 1,668

319.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$315 RON 1,374

292.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$720 RON 3,141

322.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$444 RON 1,935

363.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,730 RON 11.9K

182.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$2,095 RON 9,133

103.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,077 RON 4,697

47.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.28

-39.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $382 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 47% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $205 per month, with Craiova cheaper across the board.

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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 101% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 47% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $382 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,106 in Craiova – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 104% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,106 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.