Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Subotica Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Subotica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,021 in Subotica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,561 in Subotica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $2,101 in Subotica.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 118% more expensive than Subotica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Subotica is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$9.65 RSD 969

67.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$29.36 RSD 2,945

119.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.71 RSD 874

19.17%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.96 RSD 196

41.33%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.64 RSD 165

37.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.97 RSD 97.5

61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.02 RSD 202

72.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.12 RSD 213

88.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.47 RSD 147

-26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.92 RSD 92.3

89.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.91 RSD 292

-40.21%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.61 RSD 262

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$10.75 RSD 1,079

24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$7.24 RSD 726

10.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$10.65 RSD 1,069

51.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.38 RSD 138

65.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.90 RSD 190

-9.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.47 RSD 148

31.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.14 RSD 215

18.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.04 RSD 104

75.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.75 RSD 74.8

172.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.57 RSD 57.7

247.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.71 RSD 71.5

19.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$4.46 RSD 447

53.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$5.41 RSD 543

6.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.89 RSD 89.1

53.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.53 RSD 154

89.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.17 RSD 117

94.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.81 RSD 182

125.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.92 RSD 91.9

-10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$9.77 RSD 980

87.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.77 RSD 178

13.56%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

14.25%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.3K RSD 2.6M

46.49%

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

$145 €124

$117 RSD 11.7K

24.22%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$13.45 RSD 1,349

55.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$32.86 RSD 3,297

21.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$31.81 RSD 3,192

53.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$9.61 RSD 964

94.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$2.98 RSD 299

204.03%

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

$607 €519

$454 RSD 45.6K

33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$9,264 RSD 929.4K

76.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$34.12 RSD 3,424

206.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$26.83 RSD 2,691

52.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$87.5 RSD 8,783

6.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$119 RSD 11.9K

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$408 RSD 40.9K

293.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$332 RSD 33.3K

272.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$597 RSD 59.9K

410.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$557 RSD 55.9K

269.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,548 RSD 255.6K

202.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,775 RSD 178.1K

140.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$915 RSD 91.8K

73.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.59

-31.84%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Subotica: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $408 in Subotica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 73% 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 $29.00 in Subotica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $215 per month, with Subotica 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 Subotica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Subotica differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,021 including rent). Subotica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 73% more on average, 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $408 in Subotica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,021 in Subotica – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,021 in Subotica versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Subotica but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Subotica 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 Subotica 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 Subotica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.