Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Emmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Emmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,353 in Emmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $3,440 in Emmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $4,527 in Emmen, rent included.

Lisbon is about 6% cheaper than Emmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Emmen sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Emmen by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$20.89 €17.99

-23.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$85.3 €73.5

-24.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$13.98 €12.04

-24.82%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.31 €2.85

-13.29%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.21 €2.77

-30.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.86 €2.46

-47.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.34 €4.60

-34.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.99 €3.44

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.09 €0.94

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.27 €1.96

-22.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.47 €2.99

-49.28%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.73 €4.08

-31.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$10.09 €8.68

33.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$15.65 €13.48

-49.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$17.12 €14.74

-7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.82 €1.57

26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.48 €2.13

-31.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.95 €1.68

3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.28 €2.83

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.17 €1.87

-15.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.88 €1.62

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.12 €0.97

72.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.58 €0.50

36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$11.08 €9.54

-40.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$7.14 €6.15

-19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.17 €1.01

17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.58 €2.22

15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.66 €3.15

-35.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$94.3 €81.2

-51.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$7.96 €6.86

-46.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.77 €2.39

-70.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$23.27 €20.04

-21.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.21 €1.90

-6.79%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$34.7K €29.8K

-1.09%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$36.6K €31.5K

7.28%

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

$148 €127

$117 €101

26.29%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$25.21 €21.71

-18.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$54.4 €46.88

-27.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$40.82 €35.15

17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.92 €19.74

-17.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$14.15 €12.18

-35.12%

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

$614 €529

$2,528 €2,177

-75.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$10.8K €9,290

48.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$77.2 €66.5

35.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$38.49 €33.14

9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$98.3 €84.7

-4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$104 €89.5

15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,398 €1,204

16.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,198 €1,031

4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,725 €1,485

75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,732 €1,492

16.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$6,014 €5,178

29.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$4,769 €4,107

-10.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$2,899 €2,496

-44.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.36

-12.61%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Emmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,398 in Emmen. 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 81% higher in Emmen, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $85.0 in Emmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $321 – making Lisbon 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 Emmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $2,353 in Emmen – roughly 6% apart. Emmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,529 in Emmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,353 in Emmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 107% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,210, than in Emmen at $2,353. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Emmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,353 in Emmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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