Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tilburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tilburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,332 in Tilburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,436 in Tilburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,539 in Tilburg.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 5% less than in Tilburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Tilburg 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$20.65 €17.76

-22.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$94.0 €80.9

-31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$11.58 €9.97

-9.24%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.44 €2.96

-16.57%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.16 €2.72

-29.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$3.04 €2.61

-50.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.28 €4.54

-33.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.78 €4.97

-32.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.15 €0.99

-0.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.10 €1.80

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.56 €3.07

-50.56%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.71 €4.05

-31.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.10 €11.27

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$17.19 €14.78

-53.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$17.33 €14.90

-8.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.08 €1.79

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.54 €2.19

-33.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.98 €1.70

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.24 €3.64

-41.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.16 €1.86

-14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.06 €1.77

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.21 €1.04

59.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.78 €0.67

1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$14.24 €12.25

-53.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$7.33 €6.30

-21.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.55 €1.33

-11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.81 €2.42

5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.37 €2.90

-29.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$108 €92.7

-57.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.12 €3.55

4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.70 €1.46

-51.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$28.62 €24.62

-36.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.24 €1.92

-8.04%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$38.2K €32.9K

-10.34%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.9K €28.3K

19.34%

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

$148 €127

$214 €184

-30.82%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$22.52 €19.37

-8.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$45.34 €39.00

-12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$29.50 €25.37

62.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$13.10 €11.27

44.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$14.75 €12.69

-37.76%

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

$614 €528

$900 €774

-31.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$5,770 €4,963

178.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$80.5 €69.3

29.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$26.80 €23.05

56.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$86.0 €74.0

9.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$116 €99.5

3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,441 €1,239

12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,019 €876

23.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,881 €1,618

61.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,575 €1,355

28.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$6,313 €5,431

23.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$5,538 €4,763

-22.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$3,235 €2,783

-50.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.5

8.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tilburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,441 in Tilburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tilburg pays 102% 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 $94.0 in Tilburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $350 per month, with Lisbon 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 Tilburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Tilburg differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,332 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tilburg earns 102% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,441 in Tilburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $900 in Tilburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Tilburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Tilburg 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Tilburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.