Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Venlo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Venlo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,431 in Venlo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,534 in Venlo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,637 in Venlo.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 9% less than in Venlo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Venlo 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$20.72 €17.84

-23.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$91.4 €78.7

-29.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$11.72 €10.09

-10.32%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.43 €2.95

-16.33%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.02 €2.60

-25.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.35 €2.03

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.17 €4.45

-32.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.89 €5.07

-34.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.11 €0.96

2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.86 €1.60

-5.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.46 €2.98

-49.13%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.51 €3.88

-28.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$13.17 €11.34

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$16.80 €14.46

-52.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$16.90 €14.55

-6.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.07 €1.78

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.29 €1.97

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.99 €1.71

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.57 €3.07

-31.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.17 €1.87

-15.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.98 €1.70

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.17 €1.01

64.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.65 €0.56

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$14.31 €12.32

-53.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.78 €5.84

-15.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.51 €1.30

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.72 €2.35

9.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.58 €1.36

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$94.0 €81.0

-51.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.83 €3.30

12.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.69 €1.45

-51.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$28.50 €24.54

-35.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.28 €1.97

-9.65%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.1K €24.2K

22.15%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.3K €26.1K

29.58%

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

$148 €127

$208 €179

-29.06%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$22.74 €19.58

-9.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$44.82 €38.59

-11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$27.56 €23.73

73.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$28.08 €24.18

-32.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$11.47 €9.87

-19.97%

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

$614 €529

$882 €760

-30.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$5,826 €5,017

175.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$76.3 €65.7

37.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$26.31 €22.66

59.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$86.9 €74.8

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$113 €97.0

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,230 €1,059

32.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,177 €1,013

6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,342 €1,156

125.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,760 €1,515

14.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$3,283 €2,827

137.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$2,912 €2,507

46.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$3,819 €3,288

-58.01%

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 Venlo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,230 in Venlo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Venlo pays 138% 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 $91.0 in Venlo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $335 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 Venlo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Venlo differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,431 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Venlo earns 138% 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 $1,230 in Venlo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $882 in Venlo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Venlo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,431 in Venlo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Venlo. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Venlo 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 10% less than in Venlo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.