Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Szombathely

For one person, living is cheaper in Szombathely: $1,222 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Szombathely, Hungary
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Szombathely
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,222
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Szombathely

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Szombathely actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,222 in Szombathely.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Szombathely $1,222

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,944 in Szombathely.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Szombathely $1,944

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,666 in Szombathely.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Szombathely $2,666

Living in Lisbon is roughly 81% more expensive than in Szombathely, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Szombathely is 10% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$11.43 Ft 3,746
45.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$53.7 Ft 17.6K
15.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$9.03 Ft 2,961
25.80%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.36 Ft 772
25.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.29 Ft 422
77.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.22 Ft 399
42.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$1.71 Ft 559
98.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.24 Ft 735
47.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.19 Ft 390
-2.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.63 Ft 534
17.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$2.49 Ft 817
-39.36%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.26 Ft 1,068
23.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$10.39 Ft 3,405
24.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$6.78 Ft 2,224
14.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$16.03 Ft 5,254
10.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.23 Ft 729
3.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.04 Ft 669
-15.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.39 Ft 783
-22.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.42 Ft 1,122
-24.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.07 Ft 351
70.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.39 Ft 456
41.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.77 Ft 581
-16.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.55 Ft 180
30.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$8.90 Ft 2,916
-26.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$4.45 Ft 1,457
26.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.27 Ft 416
7.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.52 Ft 827
-15.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.83 Ft 271
180.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$26.83 Ft 8,795
66.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.67 Ft 877
44.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.33 Ft 436
-19.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$23.51 Ft 7,705
-29.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.81 Ft 594
21.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$27.3K Ft 9.0M
25.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$33.0K Ft 10.8M
17.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$166 Ft 54.5K
-3.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$20.51 Ft 6,722
-10.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$21.05 Ft 6,900
55.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$51.0 Ft 16.7K
-12.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$17.97 Ft 5,890
6.29%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$4.46 Ft 1,463
115.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$433 Ft 141.8K
54.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$7,571 Ft 2.5M
132.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$100 Ft 32.9K
1.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$51.6 Ft 16.9K
-13.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$96.0 Ft 31.5K
2.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$111 Ft 36.5K
11.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$521 Ft 170.9K
208.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$329 Ft 107.9K
261.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$746 Ft 244.7K
276.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$643 Ft 210.7K
213.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$2,419 Ft 792.8K
224.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$1,983 Ft 649.9K
130.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Szombathely
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,165 Ft 381.8K
35.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
7.5
-48.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Szombathely
$329 72.3% $861
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Szombathely
$254 6.6% $18
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Szombathely
$170 30% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Szombathely
$208 2.1% $4.4
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Szombathely
$162 2.5% $4.2
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Szombathely
$60 6% $3.8
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Szombathely
$39 37.5% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $521 in Szombathely. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 35% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $54 in Szombathely for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $254 per month, with Szombathely cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇭🇺 Szombathely
🕒 Local time
08:05 8:05 AM
09:05 9:05 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
77,757
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 328 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.05 USD). 1 EUR = 366 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.73 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Szombathely 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Szombathely

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Szombathely?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,222 in Szombathely, so Szombathely is about 45% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Szombathely?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Szombathely?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $521 in Szombathely. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Szombathely?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $433 in Szombathely. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,222 in Szombathely versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szombathely but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Szombathely the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Szombathely?
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.
Is Lisbon or Szombathely safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Szombathely are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Szombathely?
Expats usually find Szombathely gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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