Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Metz

For one person, living is cheaper in Metz: $1,859 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Metz, France
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Metz
🇫🇷 France
$1,859
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Metz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Metz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,859 in Metz.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Metz $1,859

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,789 in Metz.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Metz $2,789

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,719 in Metz.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Metz $3,719

Living in Lisbon is roughly 19% more expensive than in Metz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Metz 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$16.52 €14.84
0.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$67.5 €60.7
-8.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$11.07 €9.95
2.62%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$3.58 €3.22
-17.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$3.92 €3.52
-41.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.36 €2.12
-26.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$4.90 €4.41
-30.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.73 €5.15
-42.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.11 €1.00
4.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$2.52 €2.26
-24.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.65 €2.38
-43.02%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$4.46 €4.00
-9.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$21.84 €19.61
-40.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$13.69 €12.30
-43.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$21.86 €19.64
-18.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$3.19 €2.86
-27.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$2.20 €1.97
-21.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$2.87 €2.58
-35.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$4.11 €3.69
-36.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.82 €1.64
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.56 €2.30
-23.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.86 €1.67
-20.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.92 €0.83
-21.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$14.35 €12.89
-54.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$9.10 €8.17
-38.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.74 €2.46
-50.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$3.55 €3.19
-39.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$2.20 €1.98
5.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$57.0 €51.2
-21.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$8.99 €8.08
-57.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.49 €1.34
-28.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$44.00 €39.53
-62.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$2.10 €1.89
4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$34.5K €31.0K
-0.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$38.1K €34.2K
1.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$154 €138
4.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$15.72 €14.12
17.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$23.14 €20.78
41.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$19.57 €17.58
127.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$11.16 €10.03
71.15%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$11.19 €10.05
-14.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$1,764 €1,584
-62.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$25.9K €23.3K
-32.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$95.1 €85.4
7.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$21.91 €19.68
102.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$95.0 €85.4
3.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$162 €145
-23.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$746 €670
115.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$711 €638
67.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,133 €1,017
148.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$1,073 €964
87.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$3,703 €3,327
111.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$2,960 €2,659
54.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Metz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$3,278 €2,945
-51.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.45
11.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Metz: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Metz
$711 40.3% $479
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Metz
$394 44.5% $121
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Metz
$269 11.1% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Metz
$193 9.2% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Metz
$168 1.4% $2.3
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Metz
$42 34.2% $22
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Metz
$82 30.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $746 in Metz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Metz pays about 2.1 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $68 in Metz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $394 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇫🇷 Metz
🕒 Local time
22:04 10:04 PM
23:04 11:04 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
120,874
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Metz 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Metz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Metz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Metz?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,859 in Metz, so Metz is about 16% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Metz?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $746 in Metz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Metz?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $1,764 in Metz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $2,500 go in Lisbon compared to Metz?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Metz gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Metz?
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.
Is Lisbon or Metz safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Metz are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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