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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,287 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,944 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,601 in Iasi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 76% more than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Iasi is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$11.18 RON 50.6

56.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$44.31 RON 201

45.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.84 RON 35.52

48.60%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.97 RON 13.45

9.76%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.21 RON 10.02

12.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.91 RON 8.66

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.38 RON 15.30

2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.90 RON 17.65

-8.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.67 RON 7.55

-29.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.38 RON 6.26

41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.05 RON 9.29

-23.90%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.52 RON 15.94

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.36 RON 37.88

58.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.64 RON 30.08

26.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.43 RON 47.22

74.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.45 RON 6.58

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.71 RON 7.72

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.78 RON 8.06

8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.26 RON 10.25

16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.88 RON 4.00

115.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.90 RON 4.07

134.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.22 RON 5.51

18.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.01 RON 4.58

-20.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$6.82 RON 30.90

2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$6.51 RON 29.47

-9.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.40 RON 6.33

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.22 RON 10.05

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.85 RON 3.84

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$28.56 RON 129

61.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.93 RON 4.20

350.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.92 RON 4.14

19.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.71 RON 39.44

98.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.84 RON 8.35

22.28%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$30.0K RON 135.7K

15.07%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$28.6K RON 129.6K

45.45%

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

$171 €147

$191 RON 865

-10.54%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$7.82 RON 35.41

143.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$9.07 RON 41.07

277.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$46.91 RON 212

5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$16.58 RON 75.1

17.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.78 RON 39.77

15.03%

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

$699 €603

$414 RON 1,874

68.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$7,254 RON 32.8K

144.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$74.3 RON 337

40.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$40.27 RON 182

19.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$94.5 RON 428

7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$96.1 RON 435

33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$558 RON 2,525

197.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$448 RON 2,031

173.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$932 RON 4,222

212.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$692 RON 3,135

192.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,998 RON 13.6K

171.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$1,996 RON 9,041

132.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,203 RON 5,450

34.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

7.18

-47.35%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $558 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $44.00 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $224 – 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: $2,268 in Lisbon, $1,287 in Iasi – roughly 76% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,931 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 62% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $414 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 $1,287, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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 $1,287 in Iasi to $2,268 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.