Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Duisburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Duisburg: $2,033 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Duisburg
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,033
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Duisburg

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 Duisburg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,033 in Duisburg.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Duisburg $2,033

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $3,004 in Duisburg.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Duisburg $3,004

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,974 in Duisburg.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Duisburg $3,974

Living in Lisbon is roughly 8% more expensive than in Duisburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Duisburg 50% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$13.28 €11.81
28.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$72.6 €64.6
-14.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$12.88 €11.45
-14.44%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.37 €3.89
-28.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.88 €3.45
-41.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$3.13 €2.78
-44.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$5.47 €4.87
-37.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$5.58 €4.96
-32.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.36 €1.21
-13.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.13 €1.89
-12.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$3.76 €3.35
-59.04%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$3.46 €3.07
17.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$14.16 €12.60
-8.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$10.79 €9.60
-26.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$25.49 €22.67
-30.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.34 €2.97
-32.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.24 €2.00
-21.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.38 €2.12
-20.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$4.27 €3.80
-40.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.49 €1.32
24.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.21 €1.08
62.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.73 €1.54
-16.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$1.04 €0.93
-25.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$10.53 €9.37
-36.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$6.80 €6.05
-16.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.11 €0.99
23.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.39 €1.24
51.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$4.52 €4.02
-48.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$67.7 €60.2
-34.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$4.91 €4.37
-19.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$2.30 €2.05
-54.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$34.21 €30.43
-49.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.18 €1.94
0.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$33.2K €29.5K
1.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$38.5K €34.2K
-0.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$454 €404
-63.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$25.59 €22.76
-27.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$41.63 €37.03
-20.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$31.61 €28.11
45.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$28.94 €25.74
-35.45%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$13.64 €12.14
-28.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$168 €149
308.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$25.9K €23.1K
-32.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$98.1 €87.2
5.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$47.63 €42.37
-3.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$114 €101
-12.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$199 €177
-37.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$690 €614
130.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$535 €476
118.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,398 €1,244
103.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$908 €808
119.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$6,730 €5,986
15.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$3,363 €2,991
31.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Duisburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$2,793 €2,484
-42.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.96
-2.78%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Duisburg: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Duisburg
$535 54.2% $634
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Duisburg
$346 26.7% $73
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Duisburg
$264 6.6% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Duisburg
$521 142% $306
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Duisburg
$206 22.4% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Duisburg
$59 9.9% $6.5
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Duisburg
$102 62.4% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $690 in Duisburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duisburg pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $73.0 in Duisburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $346 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇩🇪 Duisburg
🕒 Local time
17:56 5:56 PM
18:56 6:56 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
486,855
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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

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 Duisburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Duisburg?
Duisburg wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duisburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Duisburg?
On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Duisburg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Duisburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $690 in Duisburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Duisburg?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $168 in Duisburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Duisburg?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Duisburg?
At $2,033 in Duisburg versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duisburg but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Duisburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Duisburg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Duisburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,033 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duisburg hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Duisburg?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Duisburg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Duisburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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