Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Erlangen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Erlangen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $2,099 in Erlangen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $3,206 in Erlangen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $4,313 in Erlangen, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 9% more than Erlangen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Erlangen sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Erlangen by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$15.52 €13.44

1.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$57.7 €49.96

10.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$13.98 €12.11

-25.25%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$4.01 €3.48

-27.43%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$3.74 €3.24

-38.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$3.08 €2.67

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$4.83 €4.18

-26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.39 €3.80

-9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.25 €1.08

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.16 €1.87

-18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$3.21 €2.78

-47.04%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$4.00 €3.47

-18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$14.78 €12.80

-10.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$14.94 €12.93

-48.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$21.28 €18.43

-25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.11 €2.70

-26.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.70 €1.47

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.35 €2.03

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$4.94 €4.28

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.54 €1.33

16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.62 €1.40

27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.96 €1.70

0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.18 €1.02

-29.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$9.67 €8.38

-32.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$7.56 €6.55

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.03 €0.89

29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.70 €1.47

77.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$3.12 €2.70

-27.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$55.9 €48.39

-17.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$4.15 €3.59

1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.01 €1.74

-57.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$37.15 €32.17

-49.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.97 €1.70

2.54%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$31.9K €27.6K

9.61%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$37.9K €32.8K

4.55%

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

$148 €128

$315 €273

-53.08%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$29.14 €25.23

-29.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$49.67 €43.01

-20.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$38.55 €33.38

24.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$22.81 €19.75

-19.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$13.86 €12.00

-34.34%

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

$615 €532

$335 €291

83.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$19.0K €16.4K

-14.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$108 €93.6

-6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$45.54 €39.44

-7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$120 €104

-23.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$117 €101

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$880 €762

83.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$751 €650

67.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,646 €1,426

86.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,379 €1,194

47.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$6,310 €5,464

22.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$4,076 €3,530

5.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$4,272 €3,699

-62.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.98

-4.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Erlangen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $880 in Erlangen. 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 167% higher in Erlangen, 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 $58.0 in Erlangen. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Lisbon vs $359 in Erlangen – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Erlangen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon, $2,099 in Erlangen – roughly 9% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $3,149 in Erlangen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erlangen, 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 $58.0 in Erlangen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,280 in Lisbon and $2,099 in Erlangen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Erlangen, where all-in costs run around $2,099, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Erlangen 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 $2,099 in Erlangen to $2,280 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 Erlangen. 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.