Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rotterdam Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rotterdam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,966 in Rotterdam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $4,283 in Rotterdam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $5,599 in Rotterdam.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 24% less than in Rotterdam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Rotterdam 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$23.40 €19.92

-32.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$92.6 €78.8

-30.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$13.64 €11.61

-23.97%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$4.47 €3.81

-35.35%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$3.65 €3.10

-38.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$2.89 €2.46

-46.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$6.89 €5.86

-50.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$5.87 €5.00

-33.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.36 €1.16

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.40 €2.05

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$3.16 €2.69

-44.62%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$5.30 €4.51

-40.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$13.86 €11.79

-2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$14.35 €12.21

-45.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$16.84 €14.33

-7.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.71 €2.31

-15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.46 €2.09

-30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$2.07 €1.76

-6.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$3.89 €3.31

-35.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.01 €1.71

-10.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$1.98 €1.69

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$1.36 €1.16

42.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.12 €0.95

-27.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$14.09 €11.99

-52.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$7.34 €6.24

-21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.51 €1.29

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$2.63 €2.24

10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$4.50 €3.83

-47.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$89.6 €76.2

-48.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$5.14 €4.37

-18.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$2.02 €1.72

-59.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$21.13 €17.98

-11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$2.24 €1.91

-6.70%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$40.4K €34.4K

-14.37%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$36.3K €30.9K

9.10%

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

$146 €124

$280 €239

-47.98%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$24.54 €20.88

-15.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$56.3 €47.94

-29.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$46.78 €39.81

3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$28.36 €24.13

-33.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$17.18 €14.62

-47.21%

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

$618 €526

$2,246 €1,911

-72.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$13.9K €11.8K

16.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$91.8 €78.2

13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$50.2 €42.74

-19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$128 €109

-26.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$177 €151

-30.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$1,757 €1,495

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$1,451 €1,235

-13.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$2,820 €2,400

8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$2,323 €1,977

-13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$6,081 €5,175

26.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$4,185 €3,561

4.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$4,260 €3,625

-61.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.08

-6.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Rotterdam: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,757 in Rotterdam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rotterdam pays 160% 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 in Lisbon vs $93 in Rotterdam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $348 per month, with Lisbon 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 Rotterdam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rotterdam differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $2,966 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rotterdam earns 160% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,757 in Rotterdam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $2,246 in Rotterdam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Rotterdam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,966 in Rotterdam, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Rotterdam. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Rotterdam 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Rotterdam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.