Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Olsztyn

For one person, living is cheaper in Olsztyn: $1,703 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Olsztyn, Poland
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Olsztyn
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,703
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Olsztyn

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 Olsztyn actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $1,703 in Olsztyn.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Olsztyn $1,703

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $2,449 in Olsztyn.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Olsztyn $2,449

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,196 in Olsztyn.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Olsztyn $3,196

Living in Lisbon is roughly 30% more expensive than in Olsztyn, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 63% above, Olsztyn 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.00
$12.63 zł 49.27
33.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.3
$50.3 zł 196
21.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.77
$8.70 zł 33.94
26.21%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.71
$3.29 zł 12.82
-7.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.48 zł 9.66
-8.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.85 zł 7.21
-9.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.06
$3.09 zł 12.04
11.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.48
$3.75 zł 14.64
4.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.02 zł 3.99
12.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.25 zł 4.88
51.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.38 zł 5.37
8.70%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$3.87 zł 15.11
6.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.57
$9.61 zł 37.51
35.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.16
$7.55 zł 29.47
6.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.92
$14.51 zł 56.6
23.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.19 zł 4.64
90.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.66 zł 6.46
4.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.82 zł 7.08
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$3.44 zł 13.42
-21.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$0.91 zł 3.55
94.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$1.18 zł 4.61
64.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.34 zł 5.24
8.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.72 zł 2.81
5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.92
$5.49 zł 21.40
21.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.02
$7.81 zł 30.47
-27.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.13 zł 4.42
14.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.56 zł 6.09
37.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.05
$1.04 zł 4.05
121.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.17
$25.18 zł 98.3
74.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$1.98 zł 7.72
101.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.73 zł 2.85
-12.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.84
$10.27 zł 40.07
84.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.64 zł 6.40
39.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$31.2K zł 121.9K
6.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$28.9K zł 112.8K
33.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$336 zł 1,312
-52.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.61
$9.64 zł 37.62
81.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.75
$18.98 zł 74.1
64.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.73
$45.06 zł 176
-0.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.89
$22.38 zł 87.3
-15.19%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.52
$8.70 zł 33.96
10.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €599
$374 zł 1,458
80.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$14.0K zł 54.6K
33.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €90.9
$98.8 zł 385
3.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.85
$47.62 zł 186
-3.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.0
$99.9 zł 390
2.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$104 zł 404
17.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,460
$820 zł 3,198
100.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,057
$638 zł 2,491
85.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,514
$1,308 zł 5,104
115.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,796
$1,025 zł 3,998
96.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,973
$3,616 zł 14.1K
116.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,183
$2,519 zł 9,827
86.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Olsztyn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,501
$1,491 zł 5,816
13.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
7.52
-49.20%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Olsztyn
$638 46.2% $549
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Olsztyn
$238 13.4% $37
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Olsztyn
$207 15.7% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Olsztyn
$365 76.4% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Olsztyn
$157 6% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Olsztyn
$62 2.1% $1.3
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Olsztyn
$35 42.1% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $820 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 13% 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: $61 in Lisbon vs $50 in Olsztyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $238 per month, with Olsztyn cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇱 Olsztyn
🕒 Local time
02:44 2:44 AM
03:44 3:44 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
174,675
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.9 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.39 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Olsztyn 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Olsztyn

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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Olsztyn?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $1,703 in Olsztyn, so Olsztyn is about 23% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Olsztyn?
Average pay runs 13% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Olsztyn?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $820 in Olsztyn. 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 Olsztyn?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $374 in Olsztyn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,500 go in Lisbon compared to Olsztyn?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn?
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 Olsztyn safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Olsztyn are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Olsztyn?
Expats usually find Olsztyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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