Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mersch Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mersch

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,890 in Mersch.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,052 in Mersch.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,214 in Mersch.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 24% less than in Mersch, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Mersch 116% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$25.61 €22.03

-37.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$86.3 €74.2

-24.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$15.03 €12.93

-30.07%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.44 €3.82

-35.36%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$4.24 €3.65

-47.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$3.83 €3.30

-60.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$7.09 €6.10

-50.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.69 €4.89

-31.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.41 €1.21

-19.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$3.40 €2.93

-48.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.98 €2.56

-40.94%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$5.06 €4.35

-36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$19.32 €16.62

-30.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$15.29 €13.16

-48.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$23.94 €20.59

-33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.15 €2.71

-26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.52 €2.16

-32.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.34 €2.87

-39.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.06 €1.77

19.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.35 €1.16

36.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.57 €2.21

-22.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.97 €1.70

-2.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.99 €0.85

-20.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$6.55 €5.63

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$11.58 €9.96

-50.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.91 €1.64

-28.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.44 €2.10

21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.69 €4.89

-24.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.57 €3.07

-77.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$45.74 €39.34

-59.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.73 €1.49

19.08%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$34.9K €30.0K

-1.79%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$34.3K €29.5K

14.46%

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

$148 €127

$282 €242

-47.51%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$27.74 €23.87

-26.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$58.4 €50.2

-32.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$46.61 €40.10

2.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$17.70 €15.23

-48.14%

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

$614 €528

$1,481 €1,274

-58.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$19.0K €16.4K

-15.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$96.6 €83.1

8.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$46.66 €40.13

-9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$110 €94.7

-14.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$137 €117

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,620 €1,393

0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,427 €1,228

-12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$8,564 €7,367

-8.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$7,642 €6,574

-44.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$5,293 €4,553

-69.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

2.4

58.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mersch: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,620 in Mersch. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mersch pays 230% 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 $86.0 in Mersch for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $408 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 Mersch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mersch differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,890 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mersch earns 230% 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 $1,620 in Mersch. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Mersch. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,890 in Mersch – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 Mersch 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 31% less than in Mersch. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.