Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Smolensk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Smolensk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $995 in Smolensk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,566 in Smolensk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,136 in Smolensk.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 131% more expensive than in Smolensk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Smolensk is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$10.33 ₽873

70.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$37.78 ₽3,192

66.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$6.72 ₽568

72.32%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.70 ₽228

14.81%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.24 ₽105

100.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.63 ₽53.0

176.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.68 ₽142

107.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.00 ₽253

14.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.15 ₽97.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.76 ₽63.9

151.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.39 ₽117

7.91%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.45 ₽122

174.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$10.92 ₽922

21.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.90 ₽414

63.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$10.94 ₽924

64.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.74 ₽147

35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.75 ₽148

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.78 ₽151

3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.68 ₽226

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.68 ₽57.2

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.56 ₽47.15

275.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.26 ₽106

18.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.77 ₽64.8

6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.17 ₽268

123.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$6.70 ₽566

-11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.11 ₽94.2

18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.82 ₽154

17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.54 ₽45.53

337.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.97 ₽166

107.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.34 ₽28.34

235.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$5.26 ₽445

224.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.81 ₽68.7

185.19%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$31.0K ₽2.6M

10.00%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$37.8K ₽3.2M

9.32%

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

$169 €147

$126 ₽10.7K

33.64%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$5.30 ₽448

264.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$7.07 ₽598

373.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$37.55 ₽3,172

30.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$23.85 ₽2,015

-18.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$5.83 ₽493

64.15%

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

$696 €607

$330 ₽27.8K

111.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,841 ₽493.5K

197.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$73.8 ₽6,236

42.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$50.6 ₽4,271

-5.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$127 ₽10.8K

-21.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$103 ₽8,663

21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$521 ₽44.0K

219.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$346 ₽29.2K

260.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$899 ₽76.0K

229.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$634 ₽53.5K

223.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,236 ₽188.9K

250.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,408 ₽119.0K

217.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$735 ₽62.1K

122.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-82.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Smolensk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $521 in Smolensk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 122% 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 Smolensk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $200 per month, with Smolensk 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 Smolensk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Smolensk differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $995 including rent). Smolensk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 122% 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 $521 in Smolensk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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 $995 in Smolensk – a 131% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $995 in Smolensk versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Smolensk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Smolensk 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 Smolensk 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 Smolensk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.