Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Petrosani Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Petrosani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $767 in Petrosani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,217 in Petrosani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,668 in Petrosani.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 196% more expensive than in Petrosani, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Petrosani is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$14.35 RON 65.0

22.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$41.55 RON 188

55.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.86 RON 35.62

48.22%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.23 RON 10.12

46.19%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.80 RON 8.15

38.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.53 RON 6.91

9.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.52 RON 6.86

128.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.16 RON 9.78

65.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.42 RON 6.45

-16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.20 RON 5.44

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.14 RON 5.16

36.84%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.89 RON 17.64

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$8.80 RON 39.87

50.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.27 RON 32.94

15.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$12.35 RON 55.9

47.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.31 RON 5.95

77.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.43 RON 6.49

20.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.56 RON 7.07

23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.52 RON 6.88

73.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.68 RON 3.09

179.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.65 RON 2.94

224.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.89 RON 4.01

61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.02 RON 4.64

-21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$6.53 RON 29.58

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$6.82 RON 30.91

-13.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.25 RON 5.64

8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.73 RON 7.86

24.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.86 RON 3.90

176.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$0.67 RON 3.04

525.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.67 RON 3.06

64.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$6.74 RON 30.54

156.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.84 RON 8.35

22.28%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$29.7K RON 134.6K

16.01%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$27.4K RON 124.1K

51.94%

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

$171 €147

$204 RON 923

-16.15%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$8.63 RON 39.06

120.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$5.65 RON 25.61

506.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$32.35 RON 147

53.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$5.40 RON 24.47

87.04%

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

$699 €603

$648 RON 2,936

7.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$15.3K RON 69.2K

16.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$17.48 RON 79.2

498.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$40.75 RON 185

17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$83.5 RON 378

22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$90.1 RON 408

42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$924 RON 4,187

779.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$918 RON 4,159

404.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,163 RON 5,267

39.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.82

-44.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Petrosani: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 39% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $42.00 in Petrosani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $218 per month, with Petrosani 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 Petrosani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Petrosani differ by about 196% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $767 including rent). Petrosani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $767 in Petrosani – a 196% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $767 in Petrosani versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Petrosani but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Petrosani 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 Petrosani 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 Petrosani 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.