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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,934 in Emmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $2,957 in Emmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $3,981 in Emmen, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 19% more than Emmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Emmen sit above the global median – Lisbon by 68%, Emmen by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$22.15 €19.30

-20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$85.4 €74.4

-26.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$13.87 €12.09

-16.51%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.48 €3.03

-10.92%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$3.39 €2.96

-26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$3.38 €2.95

-48.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$5.73 €4.99

-39.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.57 €3.98

-24.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.09 €0.95

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.33 €2.03

-18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.74 €2.39

-45.26%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$4.74 €4.13

-16.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$12.79 €11.14

3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$13.16 €11.47

-39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$17.37 €15.13

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.78 €2.43

-15.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.39 €2.08

-26.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.87 €1.63

-1.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.20 €2.78

-20.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.91 €1.67

-3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.84 €1.60

14.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.23 €1.07

21.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.78 €0.68

5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$12.58 €10.96

-43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$7.09 €6.17

-16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.43 €1.24

-8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.66 €2.32

-19.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.28 €1.99

3.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$8.89 €7.74

-54.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.99 €1.73

-42.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$22.98 €20.02

-25.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.35 €2.05

-1.70%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$42.9K €37.4K

-20.40%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$39.5K €34.4K

4.87%

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

$169 €147

$172 €150

-2.26%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$19.04 €16.59

1.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$56.9 €49.55

-41.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$43.23 €37.66

12.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

$22.65 €19.73

-14.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$13.69 €11.93

-30.09%

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

$696 €606

$2,577 €2,245

-72.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$8,380 €7,300

107.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$77.8 €67.8

35.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$41.64 €36.28

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$92.7 €80.7

8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$105 €91.6

18.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$921 €803

80.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$808 €704

54.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$1,701 €1,482

74.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$1,374 €1,197

49.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$2,845 €2,479

-42.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.65

3.56%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Emmen: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $921 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 74% higher in Emmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $85.0 in Emmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $322 – 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: $2,296 in Lisbon, $1,934 in Emmen – roughly 19% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $2,902 in Emmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Emmen, 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 $85.0 in Emmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Emmen, where all-in costs run around $1,934, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Emmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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 $1,934 in Emmen to $2,296 in Lisbon. 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 Emmen. 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.