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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $2,127 in Erlangen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $3,204 in Erlangen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $4,281 in Erlangen, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 4% more than Erlangen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Erlangen sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Erlangen by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$15.88 €13.86

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$59.0 €51.4

5.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$13.88 €12.11

-24.06%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$4.12 €3.60

-32.77%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$3.61 €3.15

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$3.10 €2.71

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$4.90 €4.27

-27.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$4.22 €3.68

-5.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.31 €1.15

-17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.25 €1.96

-21.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$3.19 €2.78

-44.51%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$3.89 €3.40

-19.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$15.10 €13.18

-11.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$15.42 €13.45

-48.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$21.17 €18.47

-24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.15 €2.75

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.70 €1.49

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.30 €2.01

-13.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$4.91 €4.29

-50.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.55 €1.36

14.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.57 €1.37

25.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.03 €1.77

-2.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.18 €1.03

-32.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$9.84 €8.59

-33.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$8.05 €7.02

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.07 €0.94

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$1.65 €1.44

81.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$3.09 €2.70

-24.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$55.7 €48.59

-17.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$3.94 €3.44

8.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$1.93 €1.68

-56.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$36.56 €31.90

-48.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.00 €1.75

3.50%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$31.4K €27.4K

12.29%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$39.1K €34.1K

-1.18%

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

$151 €132

$320 €279

-52.75%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$29.03 €25.33

-27.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$51.2 €44.68

-22.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$39.03 €34.06

23.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

$23.59 €20.58

-21.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$14.09 €12.30

-35.84%

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

$610 €532

$342 €298

78.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$18.9K €16.5K

-13.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$109 €94.9

-6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$46.62 €40.68

-12.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$119 €104

-22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$115 €101

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$901 €786

77.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$745 €650

66.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$1,673 €1,460

80.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$1,399 €1,221

47.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$6,619 €5,775

20.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$4,110 €3,586

10.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$4,315 €3,765

-62.27%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Erlangen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $901 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 165% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $59.0 in Erlangen. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Lisbon vs $364 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

Lisbon costs about 4% more than Erlangen, 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 $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $3,190 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 $62.0 in Lisbon and $59.0 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 $2,217 in Lisbon and $2,127 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 $2,127, than in Lisbon at $2,217. 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 $2,127 in Erlangen to $2,217 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.