Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jena Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Jena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $1,781 in Jena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $2,677 in Jena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $3,572 in Jena, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 24% more than Jena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Jena sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Jena by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$11.40 €9.82

38.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$58.3 €50.2

7.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$11.20 €9.64

-5.89%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$4.01 €3.45

-30.92%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$3.26 €2.80

-30.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$3.45 €2.97

-55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$5.28 €4.55

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$4.56 €3.93

-12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.25 €1.08

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.16 €1.86

-18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.27 €2.82

-45.87%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.84 €3.31

-18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$14.72 €12.68

-9.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$13.62 €11.73

-41.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$19.51 €16.80

-18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.15 €2.71

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.77 €1.53

-7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.28 €1.96

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.64 €3.99

-47.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.57 €1.35

12.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.55 €1.33

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.79 €1.55

10.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.08 €0.93

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$9.59 €8.26

-31.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.06 €0.91

24.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.62 €1.40

84.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.98 €2.57

-21.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$66.4 €57.2

-30.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$4.54 €3.91

-6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$3.07 €2.64

-72.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$35.41 €30.50

-46.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.95 €1.68

6.15%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$32.0K €27.5K

10.21%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$36.5K €31.4K

5.82%

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

$151 €130

$336 €289

-55.00%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$31.50 €27.13

-33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$50.7 €43.68

-22.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$34.56 €29.76

40.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$22.83 €19.66

-18.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$10.52 €9.06

-14.07%

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

$610 €525

$346 €298

76.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$14.8K €12.7K

10.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$89.6 €77.2

12.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$22.77 €19.61

78.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$123 €106

-24.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$119 €103

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$789 €679

103.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$468 €403

164.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$1,288 €1,109

134.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$886 €763

132.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$2,878 €2,478

57.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$3,323 €2,862

-51.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.98

-4.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Jena: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $789 in Jena. 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 104% higher in Jena, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon versus $58.0 in Jena. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Lisbon vs $340 in Jena – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 24% more than Jena, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $2,672 in Jena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $610 per month in Lisbon and $346 in Jena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jena, where all-in costs run around $1,781, than in Lisbon at $2,217. In Jena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jena costs $1,781 versus $2,217 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Jena. 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.