Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Darmstadt

For one person, living costs are similar in Lisbon and in Darmstadt: $2,210 and $2,255 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lisbon, Portugal
Darmstadt, Germany
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Darmstadt
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,255
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Darmstadt

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Darmstadt actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,255 in Darmstadt, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Darmstadt $2,255

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $3,478 in Darmstadt, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Darmstadt $3,478

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $4,701 in Darmstadt, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Darmstadt $4,701

Lisbon and Darmstadt have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Lisbon and Darmstadt sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Darmstadt by 66%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$22.50 €20.16
-26.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$65.8 €59.0
-6.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$13.17 €11.81
-13.74%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$4.00 €3.59
-25.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.34 €2.09
-2.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.15 €1.92
-19.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$5.67 €5.08
-40.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.47 €4.90
-39.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.48 €1.33
-21.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.25 €2.02
-15.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.85 €3.45
-60.78%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$4.24 €3.80
-5.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$16.13 €14.45
-19.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$10.73 €9.62
-27.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$26.42 €23.68
-32.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.39 €3.04
-32.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.31 €2.07
-25.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.14 €1.92
-13.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.88 €3.48
-33.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.20 €1.07
51.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.09 €0.98
80.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.47 €1.32
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.30 €1.16
-44.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$9.44 €8.46
-30.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$5.50 €4.93
2.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.21 €1.08
12.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.57 €1.41
36.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$3.32 €2.98
-29.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$71.7 €64.2
-37.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$5.69 €5.10
-32.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$2.21 €1.98
-51.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$38.70 €34.68
-57.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.16 €1.93
1.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$32.8K €29.4K
4.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$37.9K €34.0K
2.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$341 €306
-52.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$32.19 €28.84
-42.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$52.2 €46.73
-37.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$40.28 €36.10
10.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$50.9 €45.57
-62.44%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$10.73 €9.62
-10.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,070 €959
-37.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$43.6K €39.0K
-59.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$94.4 €84.6
8.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$70.5 €63.2
-36.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$125 €112
-21.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$149 €134
-17.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,005 €900
60.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$787 €705
51.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$2,155 €1,931
30.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,578 €1,414
27.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$6,085 €5,453
28.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$4,334 €3,884
5.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Darmstadt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$3,509 €3,144
-55.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.03
-4.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Darmstadt: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Darmstadt
$787 33.9% $403
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Darmstadt
$357 31.2% $85
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Darmstadt
$325 33.9% $82
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Darmstadt
$425 100% $213
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Darmstadt
$198 19.1% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Darmstadt
$62 3.1% $2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Darmstadt
$102 60.9% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,005 in Darmstadt. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Darmstadt are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $66 in Darmstadt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $357 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇩🇪 Darmstadt
🕒 Local time
05:36 5:36 AM
06:36 6:36 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
169,255
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Darmstadt 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Darmstadt

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Darmstadt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,383 in Darmstadt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Darmstadt, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,005 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Darmstadt?
Groceries cost about 31% more in Darmstadt, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $668 per month in Lisbon and $1,070 in Darmstadt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough for either Lisbon or Darmstadt?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,255 in Darmstadt, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Darmstadt?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,255 in Darmstadt. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Darmstadt?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Darmstadt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?