Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ilmenau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ilmenau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,106 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,141 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,176 in Ilmenau.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 5% more expensive than Ilmenau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Ilmenau 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$15.28 €13.16

4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$70.5 €60.7

-8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$7.95 €6.85

32.20%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.42 €2.94

-16.08%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.65 €3.14

-38.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.85 €2.45

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$4.65 €4.00

-24.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.50 €3.01

10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.05 €0.91

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.13 €0.98

54.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.11 €2.67

-43.41%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.73 €3.21

-13.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$14.46 €12.45

-6.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$13.27 €11.43

-40.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$18.33 €15.78

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.92 €2.52

-20.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.53 €1.32

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.63 €2.27

-23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$5.12 €4.41

-51.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.85 €0.73

116.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.59 €1.37

25.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.82 €1.57

6.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.91 €0.79

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$9.41 €8.10

-29.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.37 €5.48

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.96 €0.83

42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.56 €1.34

90.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.51 €3.02

-32.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$62.0 €53.4

-26.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.58 €4.81

-23.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.18 €1.88

-62.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$40.21 €34.62

-54.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.03 €1.75

1.48%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$31.2K €26.9K

9.89%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$35.1K €30.2K

12.05%

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

$148 €127

$443 €381

-66.61%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$30.12 €25.94

-31.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$53.7 €46.23

-26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$39.31 €33.85

21.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.94 €19.75

-17.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$14.09 €12.13

-34.85%

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

$614 €529

$455 €392

34.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$11.8K €10.1K

36.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$97.2 €83.7

7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$32.92 €28.35

27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$124 €107

-24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$153 €131

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$828 €713

96.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$679 €584

84.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,559 €1,342

94.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,241 €1,069

62.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$3,410 €2,936

-52.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.87

-1.55%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $828 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 113% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $71.0 in Ilmenau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $319 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 Ilmenau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ilmenau differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,106 including rent). Ilmenau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ilmenau earns 113% 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 $828 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,106 in Ilmenau – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilmenau runs roughly 36% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,106 in Ilmenau versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ilmenau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ilmenau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Ilmenau 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 Ilmenau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.