Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dessau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dessau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,815 in Dessau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $3,019 in Dessau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $4,223 in Dessau.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 23% more expensive than Dessau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Dessau 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$19.16 €16.40

-15.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$58.9 €50.4

9.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$12.31 €10.54

-15.68%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.84 €3.28

-27.86%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.65 €2.27

-15.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$3.06 €2.62

-48.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$5.27 €4.51

-33.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.98 €3.41

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.23 €1.05

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.29 €1.96

-24.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.36 €2.87

-48.21%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.84 €3.29

-17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$15.10 €12.92

-11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$14.82 €12.68

-46.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$24.17 €20.69

-33.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.92 €2.50

-21.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.69 €1.45

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.25 €1.93

-13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$4.96 €4.25

-48.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.48 €1.27

23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.47 €1.26

38.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.99 €1.70

-0.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.26 €1.08

-32.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$9.23 €7.90

-25.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$6.85 €5.87

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.02 €0.87

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.63 €1.39

77.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.22 €1.90

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$60.8 €52.1

-23.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$5.10 €4.37

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.63 €2.25

-68.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$34.14 €29.23

-46.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.94 €1.66

3.61%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$30.9K €26.4K

14.18%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$39.1K €33.5K

-1.52%

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

$145 €124

$331 €283

-56.03%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$11.69 €10.01

79.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$55.4 €47.39

-27.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$32.07 €27.45

52.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.61 €20.21

-20.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$12.66 €10.83

-28.44%

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

$607 €519

$233 €199

160.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$11.6K €9,954

40.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$94.1 €80.6

11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$49.03 €41.97

-16.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$154 €132

-39.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$187 €160

-36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$465 €398

245.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$392 €336

215.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$747 €639

307.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,239 €1,061

65.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$3,564 €3,051

116.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,878 €1,607

127.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$2,282 €1,953

-30.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.98

-4.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dessau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $465 in Dessau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dessau pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $59.0 in Dessau. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $367, with Lisbon 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 Dessau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dessau is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dessau earns 44% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $465 in Dessau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Dessau – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,815 in Dessau versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dessau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Dessau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dessau 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 Dessau 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 Dessau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.