Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ferrara Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ferrara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,673 in Ferrara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $2,506 in Ferrara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $3,339 in Ferrara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 36% more expensive than in Ferrara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Ferrara 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$18.75 €16.23

-16.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$69.7 €60.4

-8.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$11.50 €9.96

-9.13%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$1.99 €1.73

46.23%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$2.61 €2.26

-12.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.24 €1.07

20.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$5.73 €4.96

-37.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.65 €4.02

-14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.45 €1.25

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.59 €2.25

-32.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.73 €2.36

-37.73%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$4.28 €3.70

-24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$14.28 €12.36

-7.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$10.86 €9.40

-29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$19.76 €17.11

-20.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.85 €1.60

23.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.79 €1.55

-7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$3.26 €2.83

-38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$3.44 €2.98

-28.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.68 €1.45

6.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.71 €1.48

21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.53 €1.32

28.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.34 €0.29

144.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$6.39 €5.54

2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$4.64 €4.02

20.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.55 €1.34

-14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.65 €1.43

82.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.70 €1.47

33.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$35.43 €30.68

30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$7.95 €6.88

-46.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.85 €1.60

-54.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$34.55 €29.92

-45.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.99 €1.72

1.51%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$37.2K €32.2K

-5.94%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$41.3K €35.8K

-4.01%

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

$148 €128

$190 €165

-22.30%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$12.84 €11.12

59.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$31.04 €26.88

27.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$34.77 €30.11

38.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$16.59 €14.37

10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$9.28 €8.03

-1.94%

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

$615 €532

$352 €305

74.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$6,658 €5,766

144.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$81.1 €70.3

25.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$40.56 €35.12

3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$105 €91.2

-12.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$92.8 €80.3

31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$635 €550

153.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$578 €500

116.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,319 €1,142

132.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$935 €810

117.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$2,309 €2,000

235.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,819 €1,575

135.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,654 €1,432

-3.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.44

-14.19%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ferrara: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $635 in Ferrara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ferrara pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $70.0 in Ferrara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $314 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Ferrara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ferrara wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ferrara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Ferrara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $635 in Ferrara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ferrara – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,673 in Ferrara – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,673 in Ferrara versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ferrara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ferrara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ferrara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,673 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ferrara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Ferrara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ferrara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.