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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $699 in Soroca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,077 in Soroca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,455 in Soroca.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 216% more expensive than Soroca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Soroca is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$8.66 MDL 149

83.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$36.01 MDL 619

79.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.79 MDL 134

34.92%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.79 MDL 30.69

60.34%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.94 MDL 16.09

138.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.69 MDL 11.85

117.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.73 MDL 29.68

101.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.39 MDL 41.02

62.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.25 MDL 21.48

-8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.55 MDL 9.51

218.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.44 MDL 24.70

22.22%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.64 MDL 45.30

21.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.24 MDL 176

31.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.34 MDL 91.7

48.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$9.05 MDL 156

75.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.90 MDL 15.41

156.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.74 MDL 29.93

-2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.75 MDL 30.15

14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.08 MDL 35.71

18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.83 MDL 14.34

121.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.55 MDL 9.48

263.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.36 MDL 23.45

41.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.89 MDL 15.24

-11.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.16 MDL 54.3

109.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.21 MDL 20.89

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.93 MDL 33.17

53.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.28 MDL 4.79

746.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.99 MDL 34.29

115.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.25 MDL 4.29

228.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$5.32 MDL 91.5

243.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.37 MDL 23.51

50.36%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$32.5K MDL 559.0K

5.41%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.7K MDL 527.4K

28.07%

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

$148 €127

$175 MDL 3,006

-15.44%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$7.39 MDL 127

177.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$10.95 MDL 188

261.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$7.62 MDL 131

20.47%

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

$614 €528

$385 MDL 6,622

59.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,749 MDL 133.2K

107.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$65.7 MDL 1,129

59.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$53.4 MDL 918

-21.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$113 MDL 1,938

-16.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$122 MDL 2,095

-1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$517 MDL 8,885

210.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.24

-58.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Soroca: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 210% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Soroca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $181 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 216% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $699 including rent). Soroca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 210% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $699 in Soroca – a 216% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Soroca versus $2,210 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 216% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.