Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rouen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rouen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,620 in Rouen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,421 in Rouen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,221 in Rouen.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 41% more expensive than in Rouen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Rouen 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$13.97 €12.24

15.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$56.7 €49.68

11.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$10.35 €9.06

-0.29%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.44 €3.01

-17.73%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.58 €2.26

-11.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.75 €1.54

-9.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$7.11 €6.22

-52.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.69 €4.98

-29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.25 €1.10

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.17 €1.03

49.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.96 €1.72

-10.20%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.00 €2.63

5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.83 €12.99

-11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$10.11 €8.85

-21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$21.12 €18.49

-26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.26 €1.98

4.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.88 €1.65

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.71 €1.50

17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.53 €3.09

-31.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.36 €2.07

-25.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.75 €3.28

-45.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.77 €1.55

8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.69 €0.60

23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$13.91 €12.18

-52.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.96 €6.10

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.33 €2.04

-42.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.71 €1.50

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.02 €1.77

12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$51.6 €45.18

-11.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.51 €3.95

-6.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.03 €1.78

-60.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$35.48 €31.08

-48.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.04 €1.79

1.96%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$36.5K €32.0K

-5.07%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$38.2K €33.5K

2.43%

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

$148 €130

$174 €152

-14.87%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$27.58 €24.15

-25.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$33.73 €29.54

17.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$38.82 €34.00

23.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$17.65 €15.46

5.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$13.72 €12.01

-32.80%

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

$616 €540

$944 €826

-34.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,660 €7,585

89.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$81.1 €71.0

26.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$25.13 €22.01

66.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$89.4 €78.3

6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$103 €90.1

18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$568 €497

187.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$543 €476

126.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,023 €896

202.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$856 €750

137.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,857 €3,378

103.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,369 €2,074

85.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$2,620 €2,295

-38.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.62

5.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rouen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $568 in Rouen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rouen pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $57.0 in Rouen. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $308, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rouen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rouen differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,620 including rent). Rouen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Rouen. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $568 in Rouen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $944 in Rouen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,620 in Rouen versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rouen but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rouen 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 Rouen 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 Rouen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.