Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jelgava Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jelgava

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $1,189 in Jelgava, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,885 in Jelgava, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $2,581 in Jelgava, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 87% more than Jelgava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Jelgava is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$13.50 €11.56

19.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$45.85 €39.24

40.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$6.09 €5.22

70.44%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.12 €2.67

-11.22%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.18 €1.01

90.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.29 €1.11

21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$5.12 €4.38

-31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.18 €1.86

83.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.37 €1.17

-21.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.93 €0.80

87.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.53 €1.31

13.73%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.69 €2.31

18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$12.16 €10.41

10.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.81 €4.97

37.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$9.45 €8.09

70.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.37 €1.17

66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.56 €1.34

10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.63 €2.25

-26.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.29 €1.96

10.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.03 €0.88

77.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.66 €0.56

209.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.77 €1.51

11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.84 €0.72

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.95 €5.09

15.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$8.00 €6.85

-27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.81 €1.55

-24.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.25 €1.93

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.03 €0.88

121.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$86.4 €74.0

-45.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.85 €2.44

43.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.80 €0.69

2.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$11.63 €9.95

57.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.89 €1.61

6.35%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$30.4K €26.0K

16.00%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$31.7K €27.1K

21.52%

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

$145 €124

$147 €126

-0.85%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$17.23 €14.75

21.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$18.64 €15.95

114.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$52.2 €44.72

-6.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$34.58 €29.60

-45.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$11.62 €9.95

-22.03%

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

$607 €519

$537 €459

13.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$15.7K €13.4K

4.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$89.6 €76.7

16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$46.34 €39.66

-11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$93.9 €80.4

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$133 €114

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$357 €305

349.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$255 €218

384.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$741 €634

311.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$471 €403

336.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,068 €914

621.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$944 €808

351.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,450 €1,241

9.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.63

-17.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Jelgava: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $357 in Jelgava. 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 9% 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 $46.00 in Jelgava. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $223 – making Jelgava 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 Jelgava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,783 in Jelgava. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $46.00 in Jelgava. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,227 in Lisbon and $1,189 in Jelgava. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jelgava, where all-in costs run around $1,189, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Jelgava it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jelgava – 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 Jelgava. 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.