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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,024 in Subotica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,546 in Subotica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,069 in Subotica.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 121% more expensive than Subotica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Subotica is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$9.99 RSD 1,011

59.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$28.74 RSD 2,906

120.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$8.59 RSD 869

20.84%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.02 RSD 204

38.12%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.60 RSD 162

46.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.98 RSD 98.7

60.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.94 RSD 196

76.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.14 RSD 217

82.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.45 RSD 146

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.93 RSD 94.0

90.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.05 RSD 308

-43.93%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.72 RSD 275

15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.93 RSD 1,105

25.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$7.22 RSD 730

10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$10.36 RSD 1,048

49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.38 RSD 139

65.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.86 RSD 188

-11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.44 RSD 146

34.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.12 RSD 214

18.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.06 RSD 107

68.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.79 RSD 80.0

154.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.60 RSD 61.1

228.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.72 RSD 72.6

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.37 RSD 442

55.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.56 RSD 563

1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.83 RSD 83.5

67.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.61 RSD 163

87.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.17 RSD 118

94.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.84 RSD 186

133.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.92 RSD 92.8

-7.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$10.08 RSD 1,020

81.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.78 RSD 180

11.80%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

14.40%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

49.03%

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

$146 €126

$116 RSD 11.8K

25.72%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$13.52 RSD 1,367

51.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$32.58 RSD 3,295

19.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$31.93 RSD 3,229

53.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$9.74 RSD 985

93.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$2.97 RSD 301

220.54%

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

$608 €524

$440 RSD 44.5K

38.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$9,378 RSD 948.4K

76.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$34.87 RSD 3,527

197.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$26.26 RSD 2,655

60.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$89.5 RSD 9,054

3.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$122 RSD 12.3K

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$410 RSD 41.5K

295.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$328 RSD 33.1K

287.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$601 RSD 60.7K

407.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$556 RSD 56.3K

261.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,526 RSD 255.5K

203.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,650 RSD 166.8K

162.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$891 RSD 90.1K

77.96%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Subotica: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $410 in Subotica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 78% 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 $29.00 in Subotica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 121% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,024 including rent). Subotica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 78% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $410 in Subotica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,024 in Subotica – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,024 in Subotica versus $2,263 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 121% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.