Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Niigata Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Niigata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $768 in Niigata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,162 in Niigata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,556 in Niigata.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 199% more expensive than in Niigata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Niigata is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$6.37 ¥994

176.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$16.41 ¥2,561

283.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$5.07 ¥790

128.40%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.67 ¥417

16.10%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.65 ¥258

50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.83 ¥130

109.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.53 ¥395

37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.69 ¥420

27.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.26 ¥196

-8.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.93 ¥146

105.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.65 ¥413

-43.40%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.24 ¥350

77.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$7.71 ¥1,202

72.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$7.53 ¥1,175

6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$18.56 ¥2,895

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.32 ¥518

-29.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.28 ¥200

36.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.55 ¥399

-27.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.24 ¥349

13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.99 ¥310

-7.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.90 ¥297

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.01 ¥158

47.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.62 ¥96.4

32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.98 ¥621

78.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$4.50 ¥702

31.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.77 ¥275

-25.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.89 ¥295

12.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.30 ¥203

81.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.61 ¥407

56.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.20 ¥499

-64.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$18.99 ¥2,962

-10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.13 ¥176

104.42%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$19.5K ¥3.0M

74.69%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$13.0K ¥2.0M

218.02%

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

$169 €147

$157 ¥24.5K

7.32%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$22.59 ¥3,525

-14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$26.29 ¥4,102

27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$53.2 ¥8,295

-8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$6.59 ¥1,029

194.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$12.43 ¥1,940

-23.01%

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

$696 €607

$65.6 ¥10.2K

960.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$18.1K ¥2.8M

-3.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$32.83 ¥5,123

220.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$32.65 ¥5,094

46.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$39.55 ¥6,170

154.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$66.0 ¥10.3K

88.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$363 ¥56.6K

358.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$1,313 ¥204.8K

24.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

1.48

155.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Niigata: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $363 in Niigata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 24% 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 $16.00 in Niigata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $246 per month, with Niigata 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 Niigata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Niigata differ by about 199% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $768 including rent). Niigata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $363 in Niigata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $768 in Niigata – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Niigata versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Niigata but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Niigata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Niigata 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 Niigata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.