Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hilversum Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Hilversum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $3,038 in Hilversum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $4,445 in Hilversum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $5,852 in Hilversum.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 27% less than in Hilversum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Hilversum 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$28.65 €24.64

-44.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$90.9 €78.2

-28.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$16.48 €14.18

-36.23%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.46 €3.83

-35.65%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.90 €3.35

-42.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$3.08 €2.65

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.86 €5.04

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.09 €4.38

-23.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.35 €1.16

-15.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.20 €1.89

-20.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.78 €3.25

-53.44%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.90 €4.22

-34.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$12.96 €11.15

4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$17.37 €14.94

-54.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$17.26 €14.84

-8.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.89 €1.62

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.55 €2.19

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.86 €1.60

8.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.77 €3.24

-34.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.11 €1.82

-12.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.24 €1.93

-10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.17 €1.01

64.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.91 €0.78

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$12.37 €10.64

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.01 €6.03

-18.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.56 €1.34

-12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.83 €2.44

4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$4.69 €4.03

-49.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$95.7 €82.4

-52.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.67 €4.88

-24.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.04 €1.75

-59.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$29.48 €25.36

-37.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.30 €1.98

-10.43%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$40.9K €35.2K

-16.14%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$40.5K €34.8K

-3.00%

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

$148 €127

$265 €228

-44.13%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$30.38 €26.13

-32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$58.3 €50.2

-32.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$70.4 €60.6

-32.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$41.69 €35.86

-54.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$17.20 €14.79

-46.63%

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

$614 €528

$663 €570

-7.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,633 €6,566

110.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$127 €109

-17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$60.7 €52.2

-30.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$132 €113

-28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$184 €158

-35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,732 €1,490

-6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,532 €1,318

-18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$3,027 €2,604

0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$2,394 €2,060

-15.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$7,097 €6,105

9.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$5,465 €4,701

-21.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$3,837 €3,301

-58.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.5

-15.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hilversum: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,732 in Hilversum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hilversum pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $91.0 in Hilversum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $353 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 Hilversum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Hilversum differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $3,038 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hilversum earns 139% 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 $1,732 in Hilversum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 110% less than in Hilversum. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $663 in Hilversum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Hilversum 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Hilversum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.