Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $1,044 in Rรขศ™nov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $1,550 in Rรขศ™nov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $2,056 in Rรขศ™nov.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 112% more expensive than Rรขศ™nov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Rรขศ™nov is 22% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.78 โ‚ฌ13.59
$8.77 RONย 39.51
79.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.5 โ‚ฌ53.8
$39.89 RONย 180
56.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 โ‚ฌ9.07
$7.99 RONย 35.98
31.91%
Cappuccino
$2.77 โ‚ฌ2.38
$2.30 RONย 10.38
20.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.97
$1.26 RONย 5.67
80.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 โ‚ฌ1.33
$1.15 RONย 5.16
34.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.55 โ‚ฌ3.05
$2.24 RONย 10.11
58.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 โ‚ฌ3.43
$2.77 RONย 12.48
43.68%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.93
$1.55 RONย 7.00
-30.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.52
$1.21 RONย 5.47
46.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.52
$1.56 RONย 7.04
13.46%
Eggs
$3.12 โ‚ฌ2.69
$3.02 RONย 13.61
3.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.34 โ‚ฌ11.49
$8.72 RONย 39.25
52.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.99 โ‚ฌ6.88
$7.21 RONย 32.46
10.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.92 โ‚ฌ13.70
$12.17 RONย 54.8
30.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.97
$0.98 RONย 4.41
132.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.42
$1.37 RONย 6.16
19.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 โ‚ฌ1.70
$1.53 RONย 6.91
29.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 โ‚ฌ2.11
$2.02 RONย 9.09
21.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.52
$0.94 RONย 4.25
88.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.69
$0.93 RONย 4.19
111.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.70
$0.74 RONย 3.32
166.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 โ‚ฌ0.69
$0.74 RONย 3.34
8.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.54 โ‚ฌ5.63
$5.77 RONย 25.97
13.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 โ‚ฌ4.95
$7.55 RONย 34.00
-23.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 โ‚ฌ1.13
$1.03 RONย 4.65
28.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 โ‚ฌ2.57
$1.68 RONย 7.55
77.98%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.01
$0.72 RONย 3.23
225.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.85 โ‚ฌ39.48
$20.03 RONย 90.2
128.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.26 โ‚ฌ3.66
$0.72 RONย 3.23
491.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 โ‚ฌ0.73
$0.65 RONย 2.91
29.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.86 โ‚ฌ16.24
$6.94 RONย 31.23
171.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 โ‚ฌ1.78
$1.64 RONย 7.38
26.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K โ‚ฌ30.3K
$28.1K RONย 126.5K
25.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K โ‚ฌ33.2K
$28.0K RONย 126.2K
37.73%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 โ‚ฌ130
$163 RONย 735
-7.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.91 โ‚ฌ18.00
$8.16 RONย 36.75
156.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.54 โ‚ฌ34.05
$9.08 RONย 40.91
335.46%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.39 โ‚ฌ41.67
$42.07 RONย 189
15.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.61 โ‚ฌ16.02
$19.43 RONย 87.5
-4.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.04 โ‚ฌ7.79
$5.72 RONย 25.74
58.04%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$610 โ‚ฌ525
$450 RONย 2,025
35.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K โ‚ฌ14.0K
$6,496 RONย 29.3K
150.50%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 โ‚ฌ87.2
$72.2 RONย 325
40.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.58 โ‚ฌ34.94
$42.27 RONย 190
-4.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.0 โ‚ฌ80.1
$95.0 RONย 428
-2.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 โ‚ฌ102
$79.9 RONย 360
48.52%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,603 โ‚ฌ1,380
$387 RONย 1,743
314.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,239 โ‚ฌ1,067
$285 RONย 1,283
334.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,019 โ‚ฌ2,599
$577 RONย 2,598
423.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,061 โ‚ฌ1,775
$440 RONย 1,983
368.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,981 โ‚ฌ6,872
$1,903 RONย 8,572
319.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,533 โ‚ฌ3,903
$1,373 RONย 6,182
230.22%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,628 โ‚ฌ1,402
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
7.7
-50.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Rรขศ™nov: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $387 in Rรขศ™nov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $40.00 in Rรขศ™nov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $214 per month, with Rรขศ™nov 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 Rรขศ™nov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov?
Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $1,044 including rent). Rรขศ™nov is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Rรขศ™nov?
You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $1,566 in Rรขศ™nov 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $387 in Rรขศ™nov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov?
Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $450 in Rรขศ™nov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,044 in Rรขศ™nov versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rรขศ™nov but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rรขศ™nov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Rรขศ™nov safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Rรขศ™nov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Rรขศ™nov?
Expats usually find Rรขศ™nov gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 112% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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