Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Penza Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Penza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $777 in Penza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,215 in Penza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,653 in Penza.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 196% more expensive than in Penza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Penza is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.53 ₽720

106.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$34.81 ₽2,941

80.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.67 ₽648

50.98%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.37 ₽285

-8.01%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.99 ₽83.9

151.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.68 ₽57.5

155.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.29 ₽194

51.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.59 ₽219

32.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.03 ₽87.0

11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.49 ₽40.99

289.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.51 ₽128

163.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$12.93 ₽1,093

2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.20 ₽355

90.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.87 ₽73.5

-5.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.47 ₽209

187.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.62 ₽728

-31.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.03 ₽87.1

27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.32 ₽196

-8.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.34 ₽29.09

594.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.56 ₽217

59.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.23 ₽19.36

395.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.17 ₽1,197

20.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.85 ₽71.6

171.76%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$36.1K ₽3.0M

-5.40%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$42.2K ₽3.6M

-2.03%

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

$169 €147

$81.9 ₽6,922

105.72%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$6.40 ₽541

202.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$10.70 ₽904

213.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$80.3 ₽6,785

-39.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$6.08 ₽513

57.40%

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

$696 €607

$348 ₽29.4K

100.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$159 ₽13.4K

-33.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$70.8 ₽5,978

-32.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$330 ₽27.9K

403.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$193 ₽16.3K

546.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$470 ₽39.7K

530.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$390 ₽33.0K

424.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,204 ₽186.2K

255.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,081 ₽91.4K

312.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$603 ₽50.9K

170.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-84.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Penza: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $330 in Penza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 171% 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 $35.00 in Penza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $118 per month, with Penza 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 Penza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Penza differ by about 196% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $777 including rent). Penza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 171% 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 $330 in Penza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 134% 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 $777 in Penza – a 196% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $777 in Penza versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Penza but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Penza 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 Penza 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 Penza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 196% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.