Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Orhei Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Orhei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $677 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,063 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,449 in Orhei.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 229% more expensive than Orhei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Orhei is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$8.65 MDL 149

86.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$36.24 MDL 625

78.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$7.43 MDL 128

39.70%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.87 MDL 32.34

48.13%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.93 MDL 16.08

141.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.65 MDL 11.15

141.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.73 MDL 29.92

101.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.40 MDL 41.33

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.29 MDL 22.26

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.52 MDL 9.03

234.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.46 MDL 25.18

19.18%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.59 MDL 44.71

22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$10.56 MDL 182

27.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.49 MDL 94.6

45.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.73 MDL 151

84.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.90 MDL 15.61

153.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.84 MDL 31.76

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.72 MDL 29.68

12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.06 MDL 35.61

23.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.84 MDL 14.45

117.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.56 MDL 9.65

264.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.31 MDL 22.60

51.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.83 MDL 14.34

2.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.20 MDL 55.2

114.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.20 MDL 20.78

14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.99 MDL 34.31

45.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.18 MDL 3.05

1166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.01 MDL 34.70

102.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.25 MDL 4.28

228.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$5.28 MDL 91.0

246.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.42 MDL 24.43

41.55%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$32.5K MDL 560.0K

8.64%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$31.4K MDL 542.4K

22.39%

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

$145 €124

$173 MDL 2,979

-15.80%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$7.41 MDL 128

182.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$10.68 MDL 184

275.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$7.43 MDL 128

21.94%

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

$607 €519

$389 MDL 6,706

56.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$7,585 MDL 130.8K

115.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$66.9 MDL 1,154

56.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$53.1 MDL 916

-22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$114 MDL 1,966

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$121 MDL 2,089

-2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.24

-58.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Orhei: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Orhei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $181 per month, with Orhei 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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Orhei differ by about 229% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $677 including rent). Orhei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,016 in Orhei to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $677 in Orhei – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $677 in Orhei versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orhei but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Orhei 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 Orhei 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 Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 229% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.