Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rumia Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rumia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,474 in Rumia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,154 in Rumia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,834 in Rumia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 55% more expensive than in Rumia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Rumia 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$12.73 zł 48.31

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$41.91 zł 159

51.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$6.60 zł 25.03

56.36%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.58 zł 13.58

-20.95%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.91 zł 7.26

19.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.61 zł 6.12

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.23 zł 12.27

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$3.61 zł 13.70

11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.07 zł 4.05

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.36 zł 5.16

28.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.37 zł 5.21

28.47%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.88 zł 14.74

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$9.19 zł 34.88

43.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$6.60 zł 25.05

20.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$10.73 zł 40.73

44.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.09 zł 4.13

117.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.78 zł 6.76

-3.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.73 zł 6.57

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.89 zł 10.98

-15.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.96 zł 3.64

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.13 zł 4.30

79.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.29 zł 4.90

48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.07 zł 4.05

-20.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.03 zł 19.08

30.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.99 zł 26.51

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.09 zł 4.13

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.62 zł 6.13

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.36 zł 5.15

67.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$34.56 zł 131

32.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.18 zł 8.27

94.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.72 zł 2.72

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$10.74 zł 40.77

71.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.83 zł 6.94

13.66%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$33.7K zł 128.0K

2.79%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$30.3K zł 115.1K

29.04%

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

$148 €130

$274 zł 1,038

-45.90%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$8.48 zł 32.18

141.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$16.60 zł 63.0

138.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$36.08 zł 137

33.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$19.83 zł 75.3

-6.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$7.59 zł 28.78

21.48%

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

$616 €540

$344 zł 1,304

79.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,049 zł 30.5K

104.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$90.0 zł 341

14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$43.07 zł 163

-3.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$81.8 zł 310

15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$93.5 zł 355

30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$640 zł 2,429

155.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$497 zł 1,887

147.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$965 zł 3,662

221.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$811 zł 3,076

150.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$3,149 zł 11.9K

148.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,325 zł 8,821

88.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,491 zł 5,658

7.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.75

-43.56%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rumia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $640 in Rumia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 8% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $42.00 in Rumia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $221 per month, with Rumia 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 Rumia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rumia differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,474 including rent). Rumia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $640 in Rumia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $344 in Rumia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,474 in Rumia versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rumia but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rumia 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 Rumia 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 Rumia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.