Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Samara Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Samara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $941 in Samara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,386 in Samara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,832 in Samara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 146% more expensive than in Samara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Samara is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$7.18 ₽616

140.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$34.69 ₽2,977

82.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$5.15 ₽442

121.17%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.11 ₽181

51.18%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.97 ₽83.4

152.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.46 ₽39.31

282.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.00 ₽85.5

259.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.83 ₽157

85.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.05 ₽90.4

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.84 ₽72.4

135.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.30 ₽111

16.92%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.44 ₽124

180.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$10.34 ₽887

30.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$5.04 ₽433

66.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$7.28 ₽625

150.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.60 ₽137

43.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.80 ₽154

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.52 ₽130

22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.69 ₽231

-2.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.95 ₽81.4

102.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.42 ₽35.71

397.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.12 ₽96.0

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.53 ₽45.67

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.52 ₽216

169.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$4.15 ₽356

37.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.78 ₽66.9

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.29 ₽110

72.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.45 ₽38.36

433.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.51 ₽302

18.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$3.41 ₽292

418.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.78 ₽66.9

197.44%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$26.4K ₽2.3M

34.05%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$36.0K ₽3.1M

15.01%

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

$170 €147

$116 ₽9,940

47.06%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$5.38 ₽461

259.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$10.42 ₽894

222.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$44.28 ₽3,800

8.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$21.61 ₽1,855

-7.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$5.12 ₽440

93.75%

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$72.6 ₽6,233

44.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$44.45 ₽3,815

5.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$105 ₽8,979

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$82.3 ₽7,062

50.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$526 ₽45.1K

218.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$328 ₽28.1K

287.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$853 ₽73.2K

250.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$410 ₽35.2K

385.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$2,326 ₽199.6K

236.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$1,496 ₽128.4K

211.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$859 ₽73.7K

84.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

25.03

-84.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Samara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $526 in Samara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 84% 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 $35.00 in Samara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $176 per month, with Samara 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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Samara differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $941 including rent). Samara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $526 in Samara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samara – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $941 in Samara – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $941 in Samara versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Samara 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 Samara 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 Samara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.