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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,512 in Maastricht.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,700 in Maastricht.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,888 in Maastricht.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 9% less than in Maastricht, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Maastricht 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$20.35 €17.82

-20.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$69.2 €60.6

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$12.75 €11.16

-19.06%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.23 €3.71

-33.10%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$3.45 €3.02

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.70 €2.36

-41.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$7.34 €6.43

-53.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.82 €5.10

-30.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.32 €1.16

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.38 €2.08

-26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.22 €2.82

-45.34%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.54 €3.98

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$13.65 €11.95

-3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$15.82 €13.85

-49.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$16.99 €14.88

-8.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.30 €2.01

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.56 €2.24

-33.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.00 €1.75

0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.81 €3.34

-36.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.05 €1.79

-14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.00 €1.75

1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.28 €1.12

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.87 €0.76

-2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$14.21 €12.45

-53.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.82 €5.97

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.58 €1.38

-15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.73 €2.40

8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.93 €3.45

-41.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$92.8 €81.3

-50.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$11.37 €9.96

-62.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.13 €1.86

-61.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$28.84 €25.26

-36.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.20 €1.92

-5.45%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$37.6K €32.9K

-7.85%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$33.2K €29.1K

17.90%

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

$148 €130

$354 €310

-58.22%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$25.16 €22.03

-18.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$50.4 €44.14

-21.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$45.25 €39.63

6.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$29.14 €25.52

-36.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$15.59 €13.66

-40.86%

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

$616 €540

$1,547 €1,355

-60.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,039 €7,041

104.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$91.2 €79.9

12.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$39.11 €34.26

6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$121 €106

-21.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$131 €114

-6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,329 €1,164

22.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,098 €962

12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,256 €1,975

37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,732 €1,517

17.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$5,330 €4,668

46.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$3,643 €3,190

20.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$3,376 €2,956

-52.39%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Maastricht: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,329 in Maastricht. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maastricht pays 110% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $69.0 in Maastricht for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $346 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 10% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,512 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Maastricht. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,329 in Maastricht. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $1,547 in Maastricht. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% 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 10% less than in Maastricht. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.