Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ungheni Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ungheni

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $688 in Ungheni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,075 in Ungheni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,462 in Ungheni.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 229% more expensive than in Ungheni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Ungheni is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$7.79 MDL 134

125.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$23.12 MDL 397

178.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.03 MDL 121

65.72%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.49 MDL 25.56

118.79%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.74 MDL 12.75

236.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.45 MDL 7.74

271.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.02 MDL 17.59

240.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.42 MDL 24.36

152.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.70 MDL 29.20

-30.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.34 MDL 5.79

473.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.87 MDL 14.93

79.31%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.05 MDL 35.21

95.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.31 MDL 177

28.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.12 MDL 70.7

104.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$9.01 MDL 155

102.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.48 MDL 8.32

383.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.30 MDL 22.31

33.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.09 MDL 18.76

77.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.20 MDL 20.56

120.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.48 MDL 8.25

295.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.37 MDL 6.28

470.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.38 MDL 40.90

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.79 MDL 13.58

1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.55 MDL 60.9

97.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.34 MDL 74.4

36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.48 MDL 25.40

-8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.79 MDL 30.66

20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.34 MDL 5.82

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.80 MDL 30.89

132.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.39 MDL 6.77

182.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$3.69 MDL 63.4

367.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.47 MDL 25.25

53.06%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$21.5K MDL 369.4K

93.33%

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

$171 €147

$141 MDL 2,424

20.95%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$11.58 MDL 199

64.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$16.53 MDL 284

107.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$14.73 MDL 253

237.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.03 MDL 69.1

150.62%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$49.14 MDL 843

112.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$17.49 MDL 300

174.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$35.46 MDL 609

187.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$68.8 MDL 1,181

86.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$259 MDL 4,452

540.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$118 MDL 2,029

938.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$349 MDL 5,982

736.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$295 MDL 5,064

585.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,379 MDL 40.8K

241.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$1,738 MDL 29.8K

166.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-52.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $259 in Ungheni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $23.00 in Ungheni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $172 per month, with Ungheni 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ungheni differ by about 229% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $688 including rent). Ungheni is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $1,033 in Ungheni to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $259 in Ungheni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ungheni – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $688 in Ungheni – a 229% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $688 in Ungheni versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ungheni but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ungheni 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 Ungheni 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 Ungheni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 229% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.