Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Genk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Genk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,047 in Genk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,014 in Genk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,982 in Genk.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 8% more expensive than Genk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Genk 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$23.34 €20.10

-31.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$94.0 €80.9

-31.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.50 €9.90

-8.61%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.94 €3.39

-27.16%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.11 €2.68

-27.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.91 €2.51

-48.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.91 €5.09

-40.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.66 €4.87

-31.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.94 €0.81

21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.90 €2.50

-39.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.91 €2.51

-39.52%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.28 €3.69

-24.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$8.99 €7.74

50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.77 €7.55

-9.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$11.65 €10.03

36.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.50 €2.15

-7.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.57 €2.21

-33.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.68 €2.30

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.12 €2.68

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.68 €2.30

-31.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.29 €1.97

-12.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.66 €1.43

16.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.11 €0.95

-28.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$12.36 €10.64

-46.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$7.59 €6.54

-24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.97 €1.70

-30.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.42 €2.08

22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.38 €2.91

-29.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$58.7 €50.5

-22.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$7.47 €6.43

-42.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.47 €2.13

-66.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$34.21 €29.46

-46.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.94 €1.67

6.19%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$23.2K €20.0K

47.89%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$29.0K €25.0K

35.50%

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

$148 €127

$248 €213

-40.32%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$21.25 €18.30

-3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$57.4 €49.38

-30.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$38.63 €33.27

23.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$17.20 €14.81

10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$15.08 €12.99

-39.12%

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

$614 €529

$284 €245

116.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$13.3K €11.5K

20.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$104 €89.8

0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$49.08 €42.27

-14.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$88.4 €76.1

6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$108 €92.7

11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$943 €812

72.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$749 €645

67.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,360 €1,171

122.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,154 €994

75.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$2,650 €2,282

194.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,024 €1,743

111.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$2,344 €2,018

-31.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.65

4.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Genk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $943 in Genk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Genk pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $94.0 in Genk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $290 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 Genk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Genk is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Genk earns 46% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $943 in Genk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Genk – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,047 in Genk versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Genk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Genk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Genk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Genk 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 Genk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.