Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Soroca Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Soroca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $400 in Soroca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $653 in Soroca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $905 in Soroca.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 467% more expensive than in Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Soroca is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$11.40 MDL 196

53.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$23.28 MDL 399

177.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$4.76 MDL 81.7

144.75%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.49 MDL 25.57

118.79%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.72 MDL 12.31

245.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.48 MDL 8.17

247.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.14 MDL 19.60

204.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.47 MDL 25.14

143.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.06 MDL 18.18

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.37 MDL 6.29

427.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.19 MDL 20.43

31.09%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.03 MDL 34.76

97.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.05 MDL 35.13

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.64 MDL 10.98

196.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.54 MDL 9.19

48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.18 MDL 20.28

255.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.63 MDL 28.00

38.04%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$20.8K MDL 357.8K

99.62%

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

$171 €147

$62.0 MDL 1,063

175.79%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$8.68 MDL 149

119.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$13.53 MDL 232

153.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$28.71 MDL 493

72.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$3.40 MDL 58.3

197.06%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$34.45 MDL 591

203.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$34.57 MDL 593

38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$109 MDL 1,863

-6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$34.91 MDL 599

267.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$514 MDL 8,825

214.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Soroca: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 215% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $23.00 in Soroca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $48.00 per month, with Soroca 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Soroca differ by about 467% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $400 including rent). Soroca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 215% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Soroca – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $400 in Soroca – a 467% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $400 in Soroca versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Soroca but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Soroca 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 Soroca 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 Soroca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 467% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.