Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Maastricht Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Maastricht

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,563 in Maastricht.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,667 in Maastricht.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,772 in Maastricht.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Maastricht, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Maastricht 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$19.71 €16.97

-19.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$68.3 €58.8

-5.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$12.75 €10.98

-17.57%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.23 €3.64

-32.15%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.47 €2.99

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.65 €2.29

-43.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$7.09 €6.11

-50.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.87 €5.06

-33.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.34 €1.15

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.37 €2.04

-26.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.18 €2.74

-44.65%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.44 €3.83

-27.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$13.47 €11.60

0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$15.37 €13.24

-48.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$16.62 €14.31

-4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.32 €1.99

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.48 €2.13

-31.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.99 €1.72

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.71 €3.19

-33.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.06 €1.78

-10.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.99 €1.71

0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.29 €1.11

49.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.87 €0.75

-9.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$14.21 €12.23

-53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.92 €5.96

-17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.54 €1.33

-11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.82 €2.43

5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$4.11 €3.54

-42.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$93.7 €80.7

-51.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$11.73 €10.10

-63.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.13 €1.84

-61.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$29.40 €25.32

-37.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.21 €1.90

-6.79%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$37.0K €31.9K

-7.46%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.7K €28.2K

20.11%

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

$148 €127

$348 €300

-57.49%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$25.05 €21.57

-18.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$49.85 €42.93

-20.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$45.81 €39.45

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$28.40 €24.45

-33.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$15.26 €13.14

-39.84%

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

$614 €529

$1,569 €1,351

-60.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,008 €6,896

100.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$90.6 €78.0

15.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$38.00 €32.72

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$120 €103

-21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$133 €114

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,321 €1,138

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,084 €933

15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$2,289 €1,971

32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,746 €1,503

15.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$5,552 €4,781

40.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$3,719 €3,202

14.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$3,423 €2,948

-53.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.34

-12.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Maastricht: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,321 in Maastricht. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maastricht pays 113% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $68.0 in Maastricht for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $340 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 Maastricht: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Maastricht differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,563 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Maastricht 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 $1,321 in Maastricht. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $1,569 in Maastricht. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Maastricht. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Maastricht 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Maastricht. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.