Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gabrovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Gabrovo: $989 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Gabrovo, Bulgaria
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Gabrovo
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$989
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Gabrovo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Gabrovo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $989 in Gabrovo, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Gabrovo $989

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $1,472 in Gabrovo, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Gabrovo $1,472

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $1,954 in Gabrovo, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Gabrovo $1,954

Lisbon costs about 123% more than Gabrovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Gabrovo is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$7.41 BGN 12.97
124.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$31.82 BGN 55.7
94.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$15.87 BGN 27.77
-28.42%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.54 BGN 2.69
92.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.21 BGN 2.12
89.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.65 BGN 1.13
167.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$1.55 BGN 2.71
119.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.54 BGN 4.44
30.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.69 BGN 2.96
-31.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.92 BGN 1.61
107.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.92 BGN 3.36
-21.35%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.14 BGN 5.49
28.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$8.57 BGN 15.00
50.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$7.73 BGN 13.53
0.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$11.72 BGN 20.51
51.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.55 BGN 2.71
48.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.73 BGN 3.02
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.88 BGN 3.29
-1.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.19 BGN 3.84
18.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.05 BGN 1.84
73.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.14 BGN 1.99
72.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.01 BGN 1.78
45.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.65 BGN 1.15
10.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$3.37 BGN 5.90
95.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$8.63 BGN 15.11
-34.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$0.94 BGN 1.65
44.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.47 BGN 2.57
45.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.82 BGN 1.44
184.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$18.48 BGN 32.34
141.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.33 BGN 2.33
189.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.12 BGN 1.96
-4.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$11.80 BGN 20.64
39.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.56 BGN 2.73
41.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$36.7K BGN 64.2K
-6.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$32.2K BGN 56.3K
20.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$155 BGN 271
4.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$17.08 BGN 29.90
7.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$22.04 BGN 38.56
48.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$23.10 BGN 40.42
92.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$14.38 BGN 25.17
32.82%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$5.78 BGN 10.12
66.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$86.7 BGN 152
670.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$47.27 BGN 82.7
115.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$46.31 BGN 81.0
-3.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$79.0 BGN 138
24.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$109 BGN 191
13.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$301 BGN 528
433.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$235 BGN 411
406.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$454 BGN 795
518.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$349 BGN 612
476.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$1,133 BGN 1,983
591.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$952 BGN 1,666
380.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Gabrovo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$899 BGN 1,574
75.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
2.95
30.51%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Gabrovo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Gabrovo
$235 80.3% $955
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Gabrovo
$225 17.5% $48
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Gabrovo
$146 40% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Gabrovo
$194 8.8% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Gabrovo
$127 23.6% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Gabrovo
$35 45.6% $29
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Gabrovo
$29 54.6% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $301 in Gabrovo. 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 75% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $32 in Gabrovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $225 – making Gabrovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇬 Gabrovo
🕒 Local time
23:53 11:53 PM
01:53 1:53 AM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
59,611
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Gabrovo 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Gabrovo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gabrovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lisbon and in Gabrovo compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $989 in Gabrovo – Gabrovo comes out roughly 55% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Gabrovo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,483 in Gabrovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lisbon and Gabrovo?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabrovo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $301 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Gabrovo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $989 in Gabrovo. That makes Gabrovo about 55% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Lisbon and in Gabrovo?
Public transport costs about 59% less in Gabrovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Gabrovo, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Gabrovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Lisbon or Gabrovo?
Families tend to lean toward Gabrovo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Lisbon or Gabrovo safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Gabrovo?
If budget matters most, go with Gabrovo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?