Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Haarlem Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Haarlem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,853 in Haarlem, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $4,192 in Haarlem, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $5,531 in Haarlem, rent included.

Lisbon is about 23% cheaper than Haarlem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Haarlem sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Haarlem by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$29.12 €25.05

-45.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$104 €89.0

-37.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$13.69 €11.78

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.33 €3.72

-33.72%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$4.00 €3.44

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$3.33 €2.86

-54.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$6.88 €5.92

-49.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.94 €5.11

-34.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.40 €1.21

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.66 €2.29

-34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.99 €2.57

-41.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.73 €4.06

-31.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$14.34 €12.34

-5.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$15.42 €13.27

-48.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$18.60 €16.00

-14.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.53 €2.18

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.56 €2.20

-33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.95 €1.68

3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.98 €3.43

-38.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.03 €1.74

-9.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.87 €1.61

6.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.20 €1.03

60.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.94 €0.81

-15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$14.49 €12.47

-54.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$8.36 €7.19

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.54 €1.33

-11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.40 €2.07

23.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.09 €2.66

-23.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$114 €98.1

-60.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.76 €4.95

-25.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.62 €2.25

-68.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$27.33 €23.51

-33.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.27 €1.95

-9.25%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$39.9K €34.4K

-14.16%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.2K €33.7K

0.29%

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

$148 €127

$243 €209

-39.14%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$28.02 €24.10

-26.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$57.9 €49.81

-31.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$41.29 €35.52

15.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$24.02 €20.66

-21.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$16.70 €14.37

-45.03%

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

$614 €528

$2,716 €2,336

-77.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,256 €5,382

156.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$101 €87.1

3.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$53.5 €45.98

-21.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$116 €100

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$160 €137

-25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,734 €1,492

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,378 €1,185

-8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,534 €2,179

19.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$2,129 €1,832

-5.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$8,318 €7,155

-6.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$6,393 €5,499

-33.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$3,929 €3,380

-59.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.28

-10.98%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Haarlem: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,734 in Haarlem. 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 145% higher in Haarlem, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $104 in Haarlem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $358 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Haarlem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haarlem costs about 29% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $4,280 in Haarlem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon and $104 in Haarlem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,853 in Haarlem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,853 in Haarlem. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,210 versus $2,853 in Haarlem. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Haarlem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.