Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,137 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,720 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,303 in Iasi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 94% more than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Iasi is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$10.52 RON 47.59

51.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$51.4 RON 232

26.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$6.73 RON 30.46

56.17%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.68 RON 12.13

7.09%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.08 RON 9.39

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.74 RON 7.88

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.46 RON 11.12

41.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.42 RON 15.47

13.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.40 RON 6.33

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.22 RON 5.51

43.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.87 RON 8.45

-5.88%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.21 RON 14.51

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.95 RON 35.98

69.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.70 RON 30.32

18.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$10.99 RON 49.71

44.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.24 RON 5.61

86.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.62 RON 7.33

4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.73 RON 7.84

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.97 RON 8.90

24.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.99 RON 4.48

85.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.05 RON 4.73

90.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.04 RON 4.68

85.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.86 RON 3.89

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.37 RON 28.85

3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.61 RON 29.92

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.09 RON 4.95

25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.98 RON 8.96

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.85 RON 3.84

178.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$27.13 RON 123

67.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.89 RON 4.03

382.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.70 RON 3.16

17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$7.84 RON 35.48

133.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.66 RON 7.51

24.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.5K RON 129.2K

20.12%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$27.3K RON 123.7K

43.73%

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

$148 €127

$156 RON 708

-5.42%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$8.47 RON 38.35

142.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$10.21 RON 46.22

287.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$47.10 RON 213

1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$18.25 RON 82.6

3.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$8.17 RON 36.99

12.36%

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

$614 €529

$463 RON 2,095

32.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,028 RON 31.8K

128.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$62.3 RON 282

68.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$42.79 RON 194

-1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$86.4 RON 391

8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$86.9 RON 393

37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$474 RON 2,147

243.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$361 RON 1,635

247.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$750 RON 3,395

303.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$550 RON 2,491

266.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$3,076 RON 13.9K

153.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$1,997 RON 9,036

114.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,191 RON 5,389

34.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.37

-48.30%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $474 in Iasi. 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 35% higher in Lisbon, 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 $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $212 – making Iasi 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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $1,137 in Iasi – roughly 94% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,706 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $463 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,137, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Iasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,137 in Iasi to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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