Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Drobeta-Turnu Severin

For one person, living is cheaper in Drobeta-Turnu Severin: $885 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
🇷🇴 Romania
$885
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Drobeta-Turnu Severin

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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $885 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Drobeta-Turnu Severin $885

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $1,483 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Drobeta-Turnu Severin $1,483

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $2,081 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Drobeta-Turnu Severin $2,081

Living in Lisbon is roughly 149% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 63% above, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is 35% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.00
$8.34 RON 39.64
102.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.3
$41.68 RON 198
46.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.77
$7.24 RON 34.41
51.66%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.71
$3.20 RON 15.20
-4.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.09 RON 9.95
9.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.80 RON 8.55
-6.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.06
$3.07 RON 14.59
12.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.48
$3.92 RON 18.62
-0.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.37 RON 6.52
-16.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.11 RON 5.28
70.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.38 RON 6.56
8.70%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$3.47 RON 16.52
18.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.57
$7.98 RON 37.92
63.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.16
$5.80 RON 27.57
38.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.92
$7.80 RON 37.09
129.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.19 RON 5.65
90.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.56 RON 7.43
11.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.48 RON 7.04
22.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$2.53 RON 12.04
6.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$0.71 RON 3.38
149.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$0.61 RON 2.88
218.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.04 RON 4.93
40.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.87 RON 4.15
-12.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.92
$6.02 RON 28.61
10.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.02
$7.16 RON 34.02
-21.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$0.91 RON 4.35
41.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.38 RON 6.56
55.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.05
$0.63 RON 2.97
265.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.17
$22.28 RON 106
97.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$0.89 RON 4.25
347.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.87 RON 4.16
-26.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.84
$9.31 RON 44.23
103.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.88 RON 8.92
21.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$28.6K RON 135.9K
16.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$25.3K RON 120.2K
52.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$116 RON 551
36.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.61
$8.90 RON 42.31
97.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.75
$12.27 RON 58.3
154.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.73
$32.17 RON 153
38.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.89
$21.19 RON 101
-10.43%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.52
$6.66 RON 31.64
43.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €599
$435 RON 2,068
54.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$10.2K RON 48.7K
82.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €90.9
$101 RON 479
1.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.85
$38.50 RON 183
19.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.0
$86.8 RON 413
17.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$89.8 RON 427
35.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,460
$385 RON 1,830
326.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,057
$170 RON 808
598.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,514
$603 RON 2,864
368.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,796
$458 RON 2,179
340.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,973
$1,630 RON 7,747
380.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,183
$1,544 RON 7,337
204.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,501
$914 RON 4,343
84.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
7.02
-45.58%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$170 85.7% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$194 29.3% $80
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$166 32.5% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$137 33.7% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$142 15.2% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$45 28.7% $18
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$30 50.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $385 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 85% 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: $61 in Lisbon vs $42 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $194 per month, with Drobeta-Turnu Severin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇷🇴 Drobeta-Turnu Severin
🕒 Local time
02:26 2:26 AM
04:26 4:26 AM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
92,617
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Drobeta-Turnu Severin 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Drobeta-Turnu Severin

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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drobeta-Turnu Severin cheaper than Lisbon?
Drobeta-Turnu Severin is about 60% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Average pay runs 85% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $385 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Drobeta-Turnu Severin runs roughly 49% less than in Lisbon. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $435 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
At $885 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $2,206 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Drobeta-Turnu Severin but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Drobeta-Turnu Severin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Drobeta-Turnu Severin are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Drobeta-Turnu Severin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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