Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Erfurt Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Erfurt

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,243 per month in Lisbon vs $2,027 in Erfurt, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $3,198 in Erfurt, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Lisbon vs $4,370 in Erfurt, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 11% more than Erfurt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Erfurt sit above the global median – Lisbon by 67%, Erfurt by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$17.30 €14.76

-9.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$69.7 €59.5

-9.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$11.38 €9.71

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$3.53 €3.01

-20.40%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$3.61 €3.08

-35.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$7.97 €6.80

-81.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$4.67 €3.98

-27.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$3.53 €3.01

10.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.25 €1.07

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.20 €1.88

-20.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$3.26 €2.78

-46.32%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$3.75 €3.20

-17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$14.91 €12.72

-10.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$13.13 €11.20

-40.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$18.71 €15.96

-14.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$3.41 €2.91

-29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.71 €1.46

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.62 €2.24

-24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$4.88 €4.16

-47.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.69 €1.45

5.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.52 €1.30

29.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.81 €1.54

8.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.89 €0.76

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$10.23 €8.72

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$6.88 €5.87

-14.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.94 €0.81

46.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$1.64 €1.40

78.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$3.10 €2.65

-26.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$62.7 €53.5

-25.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$5.42 €4.62

-23.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$2.54 €2.17

-68.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$40.69 €34.71

-53.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$2.08 €1.77

0.48%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$31.6K €27.0K

10.95%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$35.0K €29.8K

13.50%

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

$150 €128

$446 €380

-66.44%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$29.64 €25.29

-30.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$52.5 €44.77

-25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$41.07 €35.03

20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$33.43 €28.51

-44.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$13.96 €11.91

-34.10%

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

$624 €533

$455 €388

37.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$11.5K €9,797

38.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$97.5 €83.2

4.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$32.49 €27.72

25.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$126 €107

-24.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$149 €127

-18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$817 €697

102.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$556 €474

121.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$1,580 €1,348

92.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$1,231 €1,050

67.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$4,955 €4,227

59.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$2,530 €2,158

70.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$3,215 €2,743

-51.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.87

-1.55%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Erfurt: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Lisbon versus $817 in Erfurt. 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 105% higher in Erfurt, 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 in Lisbon versus $70 in Erfurt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $339 – 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 Erfurt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 11% more than Erfurt, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,365 per month in Lisbon and $3,040 in Erfurt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 34% less in Erfurt. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $624 per month in Lisbon and $455 in Erfurt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Erfurt, where all-in costs run around $2,027, than in Lisbon at $2,243. In Erfurt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Erfurt costs $2,027 versus $2,243 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Erfurt. 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.