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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $2,246 in Erfurt, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $3,237 in Erfurt, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $4,229 in Erfurt, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 1% more than Erfurt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Erfurt sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Erfurt by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$15.72 €13.55

11.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$70.7 €60.9

-8.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.40 €9.83

2.19%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.46 €2.98

-5.78%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$4.22 €3.63

-41.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$8.02 €6.92

-79.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.70 €4.05

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$5.38 €4.64

-33.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.40 €1.21

-15.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.10 €1.81

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$3.34 €2.88

-53.29%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.30 €2.85

21.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$14.48 €12.48

-8.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$10.92 €9.41

-22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$19.03 €16.40

-4.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.55 €3.06

-34.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.22 €1.92

-22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.67 €3.16

-47.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.13 €3.56

-36.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.25 €1.94

-15.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.48 €1.28

42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.69 €1.46

-14.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.92 €0.80

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.01 €8.63

-29.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.15 €6.16

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.18 €1.02

15.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.60 €1.38

34.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$3.27 €2.82

-27.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$72.8 €62.8

-36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$5.61 €4.84

-25.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$4.31 €3.72

-74.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$46.98 €40.50

-63.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.06 €1.78

9.22%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$34.3K €29.6K

0.36%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$39.4K €33.9K

5.77%

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

$171 €147

$682 €588

-74.93%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$28.80 €24.83

-33.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$35.19 €30.34

-2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$42.57 €36.70

16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$31.41 €27.07

-37.89%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$15.76 €13.59

-35.91%

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

$699 €603

$458 €395

52.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$95.8 €82.6

9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$33.11 €28.54

44.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$127 €109

-19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$114 €98.2

12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$778 €670

113.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$542 €467

126.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,621 €1,397

79.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,052 €906

92.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$4,793 €4,132

69.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,492 €2,148

85.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,139 €2,705

-48.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.95

-4.30%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Erfurt: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $778 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 94% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $71.0 in Erfurt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $334 – 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 1% 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 $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $3,368 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 58% less in Erfurt. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $458 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 $2,246, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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 $2,246 versus $2,268 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.