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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $680 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,065 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,449 in Orhei.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 235% more expensive than in Orhei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Orhei is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$9.02 MDL 157

74.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$36.51 MDL 635

73.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$7.69 MDL 134

35.89%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$1.80 MDL 31.25

61.67%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.99 MDL 17.22

131.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.68 MDL 11.84

120.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.73 MDL 30.06

105.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.29 MDL 39.86

72.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.30 MDL 22.51

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.56 MDL 9.79

214.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.44 MDL 25.05

18.06%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.55 MDL 44.25

27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$10.21 MDL 177

29.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$5.41 MDL 94.0

42.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$8.65 MDL 150

82.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$0.89 MDL 15.40

156.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.76 MDL 30.60

-5.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.73 MDL 30.03

16.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.16 MDL 37.62

14.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.83 MDL 14.45

115.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.60 MDL 10.38

245.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.36 MDL 23.69

44.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.85 MDL 14.70

-2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$3.15 MDL 54.7

107.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.22 MDL 21.15

9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.92 MDL 33.40

56.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.18 MDL 3.18

1161.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$2.06 MDL 35.89

105.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.27 MDL 4.73

214.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$5.13 MDL 89.2

267.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.43 MDL 24.87

41.26%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$32.7K MDL 568.1K

6.96%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$31.0K MDL 538.8K

27.87%

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

$148 €128

$173 MDL 3,011

-14.60%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$7.64 MDL 133

168.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$10.90 MDL 189

262.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$7.72 MDL 134

17.88%

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

$615 €532

$396 MDL 6,878

55.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,745 MDL 134.6K

110.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$66.5 MDL 1,155

52.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$53.3 MDL 926

-20.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$112 MDL 1,950

-17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$121 MDL 2,108

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Orhei: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $37.00 in Orhei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $180 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 235% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $680 including rent). Orhei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $1,020 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 48% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $680 in Orhei – a 235% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 in Orhei versus $2,280 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 235% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.