Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Izmir

For one person, living is cheaper in Izmir: $1,212 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Izmir, Turkey
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Izmir
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,212
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Izmir

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Izmir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,212 in Izmir.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Izmir $1,212

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,898 in Izmir.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Izmir $1,898

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,584 in Izmir.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Izmir $2,584

Living in Lisbon is roughly 82% more expensive than in Izmir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Izmir is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$9.89 ₺493
68.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$35.55 ₺1,772
73.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$8.41 ₺419
35.08%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$3.64 ₺181
-18.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$1.46 ₺72.7
56.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.58 ₺28.86
200.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$3.44 ₺172
-1.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.00 ₺249
-33.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.08 ₺53.9
7.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.05 ₺52.6
81.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.38 ₺119
-36.55%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$2.46 ₺123
63.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$9.31 ₺464
38.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$5.10 ₺254
52.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$21.03 ₺1,048
-15.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.95 ₺97.4
17.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$2.18 ₺108
-20.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.06 ₺52.7
75.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$1.36 ₺67.9
90.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$0.59 ₺29.55
208.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$0.40 ₺20.08
392.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.09 ₺54.6
34.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.73 ₺36.52
-1.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$2.22 ₺111
196.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$11.15 ₺556
-49.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.06 ₺103
-33.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.99 ₺149
-28.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$0.68 ₺34.06
242.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$43.12 ₺2,149
3.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$3.52 ₺175
9.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.02 ₺50.9
4.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$5.52 ₺275
198.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.35 ₺67.2
62.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$46.6K ₺2.3M
-26.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$43.7K ₺2.2M
-11.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$82.4 ₺4,104
95.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$10.53 ₺525
74.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$15.87 ₺791
106.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$64.2 ₺3,197
-30.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$34.55 ₺1,722
-44.72%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$8.25 ₺411
16.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$683 ₺34.1K
-2.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$14.5K ₺720.2K
21.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$45.34 ₺2,260
125.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$37.24 ₺1,856
19.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$92.0 ₺4,584
7.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$79.8 ₺3,978
54.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$587 ₺29.2K
174.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$424 ₺21.1K
180.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,122 ₺55.9K
150.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$793 ₺39.5K
153.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$1,444 ₺72.0K
442.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$999 ₺49.8K
357.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Izmir
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$1,134 ₺56.5K
38.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
42.33
-90.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Izmir: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Izmir
$424 64.3% $766
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Izmir
$245 9.9% $27
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Izmir
$183 24.4% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Izmir
$109 48.8% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Izmir
$114 31% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Izmir
$81 26.5% $17
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Izmir
$54 13.8% $8.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $587 in Izmir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 39% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $36 in Izmir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $245 per month, with Izmir cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇹🇷 Izmir
🕒 Local time
22:59 10:59 PM
01:59 1:59 AM
3 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
4,493,242
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Izmir 3,130 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Izmir

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Izmir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Izmir?
Izmir wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Izmir the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Izmir?
Average pay runs 39% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Izmir?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $587 in Izmir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Izmir?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,212 in Izmir – Izmir is about 45% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Lisbon compared to Izmir?
A monthly transit pass in Izmir runs roughly 3% less than in Lisbon. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Izmir?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Izmir is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Izmir?
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.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Izmir?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Izmir are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Izmir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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