Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Herne

For one person, living is cheaper in Herne: $2,056 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Herne, Germany
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Herne
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,056
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Herne

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 Herne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,056 in Herne, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Herne $2,056

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,947 in Herne, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Herne $2,947

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $3,839 in Herne, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Herne $3,839

Lisbon costs about 8% more than Herne.

Both Lisbon and Herne sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Herne by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.85
$17.11 €15.27
-2.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.1
$77.6 €69.3
-20.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.13
$12.53 €11.18
-9.34%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.65
$3.51 €3.13
-15.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.04
$2.97 €2.65
-22.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.22 €1.98
-21.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.04
$4.43 €3.95
-23.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.95
$3.69 €3.29
-10.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.39 €1.24
-16.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.28 €2.03
-16.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$3.93 €3.51
-61.58%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.59
$3.70 €3.30
8.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.54
$15.11 €13.48
-14.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.94
$11.78 €10.51
-34.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.85
$18.67 €16.66
-4.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$3.32 €2.97
-30.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.96 €1.75
-11.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.09 €1.86
-11.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.31
$4.21 €3.76
-38.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.31 €1.17
38.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.23 €1.10
60.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.55 €1.39
-5.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.05 €0.94
-31.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.87
$9.70 €8.66
-32.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.00
$6.81 €6.07
-17.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.13 €1.01
20.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.61 €1.43
32.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.08
$3.40 €3.03
-31.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €39.86
$69.2 €61.8
-35.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.43
$4.82 €4.30
-20.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.95
$2.53 €2.26
-57.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.69
$33.60 €29.98
-51.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.10 €1.87
4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.5K
$30.5K €27.2K
12.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.5K
$37.4K €33.4K
3.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$378 €337
-57.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.43
$33.58 €29.96
-45.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.21
$50.6 €45.16
-35.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.74
$38.79 €34.61
14.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.04
$26.68 €23.81
-28.41%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.56
$15.10 €13.48
-36.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €596
$225 €201
196.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$17.1K €15.2K
3.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.0
$92.2 €82.3
10.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.67
$52.4 €46.71
-15.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €87.9
$102 €91.2
-3.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €110
$135 €121
-8.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,435
$805 €718
99.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,062
$652 €582
82.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,509
$1,463 €1,305
92.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,796
$879 €785
128.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €6,994
$4,658 €4,156
68.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,082
$3,359 €2,997
36.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Herne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,405
$3,026 €2,700
-47.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.95
-2.53%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Herne: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Herne
$652 45.2% $538
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Herne
$333 22.2% $61
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Herne
$267 10% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Herne
$462 118% $250
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Herne
$172 3.7% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Herne
$69 8.3% $5.3
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Herne
$100 58.7% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $805 in Herne. 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 92% higher in Herne, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $78 in Herne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $333 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇩🇪 Herne
🕒 Local time
23:17 11:17 PM
00:17 12:17 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
156,449
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Herne 1,910 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Herne

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 Herne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Herne?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,083 in Herne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lisbon and Herne?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Herne, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $805 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Herne?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,056 in Herne. That makes Herne about 7% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Lisbon and in Herne?
Public transport costs about 35% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Herne?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,056 in Herne, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Lisbon or Herne?
Families tend to lean toward Herne – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Lisbon or Herne 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.

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