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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $879 in Penza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,314 in Penza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,749 in Penza.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 153% more expensive than Penza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Penza is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$7.61 ₽572

112.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$32.21 ₽2,419

100.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$5.83 ₽438

78.04%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.15 ₽86.7

140.87%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.90 ₽67.9

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.65 ₽48.79

141.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.11 ₽83.3

214.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.29 ₽172

74.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.24 ₽93.2

-12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.72 ₽54.3

141.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.63 ₽123

6.75%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.79 ₽134

77.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$10.31 ₽775

30.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.16 ₽312

92.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$9.08 ₽682

77.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.21 ₽91.0

88.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.85 ₽139

-7.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.78 ₽133

8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.97 ₽223

-14.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.46 ₽34.86

297.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.53 ₽39.86

284.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.94 ₽146

2.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.72 ₽54.0

18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.89 ₽217

137.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$10.08 ₽757

-42.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.00 ₽74.7

37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.93 ₽145

50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.45 ₽33.98

406.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.91 ₽144

113.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.54 ₽40.82

51.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$4.48 ₽336

307.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.75 ₽56.0

168.00%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$34.3K ₽2.6M

2.93%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$36.2K ₽2.7M

6.46%

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

$145 €124

$110 ₽8,270

32.05%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$6.00 ₽450

249.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$7.60 ₽571

426.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$31.89 ₽2,395

52.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$3.84 ₽288

135.94%

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

$607 €519

$326 ₽24.5K

86.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$6,869 ₽515.9K

137.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$71.1 ₽5,341

47.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$45.04 ₽3,383

-9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$112 ₽8,445

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$108 ₽8,135

9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$444 ₽33.3K

261.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$258 ₽19.4K

379.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$802 ₽60.2K

279.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$352 ₽26.4K

484.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,536 ₽190.5K

203.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,179 ₽88.6K

261.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$639 ₽48.0K

147.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-52.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Penza: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $444 in Penza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 148% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Penza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $199 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 153% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $879 including rent). Penza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 148% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $444 in Penza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% 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 $879 in Penza – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Penza versus $2,227 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 153% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.