Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elista Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $973 in Elista, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,486 in Elista, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $1,999 in Elista, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 133% more than Elista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Elista is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$9.55 ₽692

66.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$38.72 ₽2,806

63.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$5.80 ₽420

78.97%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.29 ₽166

21.83%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.12 ₽81.0

108.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.52 ₽37.49

201.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.42 ₽103

141.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.50 ₽181

56.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.16 ₽84.0

-6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.70 ₽51.0

152.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.39 ₽101

23.02%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.76 ₽128

78.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.61 ₽769

28.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.82 ₽350

66.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$8.73 ₽632

77.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.73 ₽126

32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.87 ₽136

-12.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.92 ₽139

1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.76 ₽200

-9.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.83 ₽60.4

115.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.68 ₽49.25

195.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.37 ₽99.1

43.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.67 ₽48.38

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.97 ₽216

128.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$4.19 ₽304

35.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.02 ₽73.6

36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.91 ₽138

58.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.49 ₽35.53

363.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.85 ₽134

131.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.36 ₽25.82

136.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.37 ₽461

186.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.72 ₽52.2

176.39%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$34.7K ₽2.5M

1.04%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$35.0K ₽2.5M

12.96%

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

$146 €126

$109 ₽7,865

34.68%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$6.11 ₽442

234.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$7.60 ₽551

412.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$35.79 ₽2,593

36.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$4.98 ₽361

91.16%

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

$608 €524

$319 ₽23.1K

90.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,122 ₽516.1K

131.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$68.9 ₽4,990

50.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$45.22 ₽3,277

-6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$114 ₽8,249

-18.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$106 ₽7,713

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$446 ₽32.3K

263.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$301 ₽21.8K

320.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$774 ₽56.1K

293.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$502 ₽36.4K

299.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,271 ₽164.5K

237.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,569 ₽113.7K

175.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$404 ₽29.3K

291.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

15.33

-75.15%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Elista: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $446 in Elista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 292% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $39.00 in Elista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $189 – making Elista the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Elista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 133%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $1,460 in Elista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elista, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $39.00 in Elista. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elista, where all-in costs run around $973, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Elista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Elista. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.