Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,494 in Istanbul, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,338 in Istanbul, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $3,181 in Istanbul, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 52% more than Istanbul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Istanbul sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Istanbul by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$10.14 ₺492

73.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$50.7 ₺2,461

27.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.09 ₺441

28.16%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.05 ₺197

-19.51%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.74 ₺84.3

43.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.57 ₺27.70

192.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.06 ₺197

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$6.03 ₺293

-40.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.22 ₺59.4

-3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.94 ₺45.81

107.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.44 ₺118

-36.07%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.46 ₺119

63.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.30 ₺500

28.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.35 ₺260

57.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$21.09 ₺1,024

-13.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.97 ₺95.9

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.24 ₺109

-22.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.20 ₺58.5

60.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.92 ₺93.3

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.59 ₺28.65

222.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.52 ₺25.04

305.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.09 ₺53.0

32.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.59 ₺28.62

35.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.33 ₺113

200.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$13.24 ₺643

-55.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.40 ₺116

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.39 ₺165

-36.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.86 ₺41.57

176.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$67.9 ₺3,298

-31.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.31 ₺63.5

219.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.92 ₺44.88

19.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$10.72 ₺520

61.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.38 ₺66.8

63.04%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$50.7K ₺2.5M

-31.97%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-6.26%

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

$171 €147

$88.6 ₺4,302

92.85%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$11.48 ₺557

65.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$16.51 ₺802

107.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$69.2 ₺3,361

-28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$23.43 ₺1,138

-16.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.37 ₺407

20.67%

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

$699 €603

$978 ₺47.5K

-28.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$28.0K ₺1.4M

-36.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$54.1 ₺2,624

93.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$38.94 ₺1,890

23.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$101 ₺4,881

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$94.4 ₺4,583

35.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$991 ₺48.1K

67.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$638 ₺31.0K

92.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,946 ₺94.5K

49.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,144 ₺55.5K

76.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,979 ₺144.6K

172.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$1,694 ₺82.3K

173.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,196 ₺58.1K

35.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

41.26

-90.84%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $991 in Istanbul. 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 $51.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $259 – making Istanbul 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 Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,242 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $978 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,494, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Istanbul. 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.