Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sighisoara Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sighisoara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $961 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,549 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,137 in Sighisoara.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 139% more expensive than in Sighisoara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Sighisoara is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$11.08 RON 50.8

58.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$38.01 RON 174

65.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$9.00 RON 41.21

28.67%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.18 RON 9.98

42.20%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.25 RON 10.28

10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.35 RON 10.78

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.24 RON 10.26

55.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.87 RON 13.15

19.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.56 RON 7.13

-26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.28 RON 5.87

49.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.51 RON 6.91

-0.66%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.50 RON 16.05

13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$7.78 RON 35.62

70.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$7.48 RON 34.26

7.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$7.78 RON 35.65

131.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.08 RON 4.95

117.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.70 RON 7.78

2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.92 RON 8.82

-3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.53 RON 11.60

0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.80 RON 3.68

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.02 RON 4.68

105.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.97 RON 4.43

53.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.03 RON 4.71

-20.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$5.43 RON 24.87

30.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$7.59 RON 34.77

-22.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.28 RON 5.88

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.81 RON 8.28

17.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.69 RON 3.15

242.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.92 RON 4.23

343.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.98 RON 4.48

16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$9.14 RON 41.88

86.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.72 RON 7.88

34.30%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.5K RON 135.1K

15.75%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$26.3K RON 120.3K

57.58%

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

$169 €147

$61.3 RON 281

174.82%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$8.84 RON 40.49

118.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$9.03 RON 41.39

271.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$54.8 RON 251

-10.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$9.96 RON 45.63

-3.92%

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

$696 €606

$625 RON 2,863

11.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$9,929 RON 45.5K

74.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$93.4 RON 428

12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$47.72 RON 219

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$103 RON 473

-2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$115 RON 526

8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$327 RON 1,498

408.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$264 RON 1,209

372.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$541 RON 2,480

447.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$496 RON 2,274

312.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$1,627 RON 7,453

381.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

$1,097 RON 5,026

306.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$617 RON 2,827

164.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.8

-44.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $327 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 164% 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 $38.00 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $214 per month, with Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sighisoara differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $961 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 164% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $327 in Sighisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $961 in Sighisoara – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $961 in Sighisoara versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighisoara but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.