Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Geel Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Geel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,078 in Geel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,939 in Geel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,800 in Geel.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 10% more expensive than in Geel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Geel 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$17.25 €15.11

-6.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$64.3 €56.3

-1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.02 €9.65

-6.35%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.86 €3.38

-26.68%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.94 €2.57

-22.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.96 €2.59

-46.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$4.73 €4.14

-28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.55 €3.10

13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.55 €1.36

-29.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.87 €2.51

-39.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.91 €2.55

-39.52%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.92 €4.31

-35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$16.39 €14.36

-19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$13.86 €12.14

-42.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$19.06 €16.69

-18.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.10 €2.71

-23.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.52 €2.21

-32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.75 €2.41

-26.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.26 €2.85

-25.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.59 €2.27

-32.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.42 €2.12

-16.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.65 €1.45

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.72 €0.63

18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$12.31 €10.78

-46.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.90 €7.80

-37.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.64 €2.31

-49.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.18 €2.78

-6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.82 €2.47

-19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$56.9 €49.85

-19.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$7.48 €6.55

-43.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.36 €2.07

-65.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$34.47 €30.19

-46.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.93 €1.69

7.77%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$24.9K €21.8K

39.21%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$35.3K €30.9K

10.90%

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

$148 €130

$175 €154

-15.54%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$21.38 €18.72

-4.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$55.8 €48.86

-29.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$41.09 €35.99

16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$17.29 €15.14

7.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$15.00 €13.14

-38.53%

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

$616 €540

$624 €546

-1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$13.6K €11.9K

21.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$107 €93.6

-3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$49.49 €43.34

-15.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$117 €102

-18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$155 €136

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$951 €833

71.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$803 €703

53.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,091 €955

184.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$979 €857

107.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,907 €3,422

100.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$3,398 €2,976

29.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$2,487 €2,178

-35.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

27.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Geel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $951 in Geel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Geel pays 55% 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 $64.0 in Geel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $374 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 Geel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Geel differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,078 including rent). Geel is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Geel. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $951 in Geel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Geel – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $2,078 in Geel – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,078 in Geel versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Geel but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Geel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Geel 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 Geel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.