Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Voorburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,613 in Voorburg, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Voorburg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,613
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Voorburg

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 Voorburg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,613 in Voorburg.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Voorburg $2,613

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $3,697 in Voorburg.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Voorburg $3,697

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $4,782 in Voorburg.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Voorburg $4,782

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 15% less than in Voorburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Voorburg 94% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$20.52 €18.25
-19.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$82.4 €73.3
-25.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$13.19 €11.73
-14.56%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$4.25 €3.78
-28.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.80 €3.38
-40.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$3.36 €2.98
-48.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$7.08 €6.30
-52.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$5.78 €5.14
-41.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.46 €1.30
-23.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.41 €2.14
-22.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$2.95 €2.62
-48.14%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$5.19 €4.62
-23.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$11.89 €10.58
7.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$13.28 €11.81
-40.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$18.54 €16.49
-8.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$3.32 €2.95
-31.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.62 €2.33
-33.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.53 €2.25
-26.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$3.32 €2.95
-22.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.69 €1.50
10.06%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.47 €1.31
37.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.43 €1.27
0.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.24 €1.10
-33.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$14.60 €12.99
-55.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$6.51 €5.79
-13.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.48 €1.31
-13.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$2.49 €2.22
-16.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$3.31 €2.95
-29.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$92.8 €82.6
-52.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$4.70 €4.18
-15.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$3.49 €3.10
-68.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$67.6 €60.1
-75.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.54 €2.26
-10.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$40.6K €36.1K
-16.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$39.7K €35.3K
-0.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$296 €264
-43.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$21.38 €19.01
-12.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$55.6 €49.42
-40.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$40.81 €36.30
12.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$25.92 €23.06
-25.96%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$15.38 €13.68
-36.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$2,633 €2,342
-74.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$12.9K €11.4K
31.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$91.6 €81.5
10.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$38.53 €34.28
18.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$108 €96.3
-7.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$144 €128
-14.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$1,201 €1,068
34.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,196 €1,064
0.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,599 €2,311
10.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,689 €1,502
17.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$5,232 €4,654
44.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$4,284 €3,810
0.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Voorburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.49
10.32%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Voorburg: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Voorburg
$1.2K 0.1% $1.3
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Voorburg
$342 27% $73
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Voorburg
$330 36.4% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Voorburg
$373 70.2% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Voorburg
$172 3.3% $5.5
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Voorburg
$72 9% $5.9
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Voorburg
$128 104% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,201 in Voorburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $82.0 in Voorburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $342 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇱 Voorburg
🕒 Local time
06:30 6:30 AM
07:30 7:30 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
45,945
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Voorburg 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Voorburg

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 Voorburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Voorburg?
Lisbon and Voorburg differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $2,613 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to Voorburg?
You'd need roughly $3,335 in Lisbon and $3,920 in Voorburg 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Voorburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,201 in Voorburg. 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 Voorburg?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $2,633 in Voorburg. 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 27% higher in Voorburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,613 in Voorburg, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Voorburg. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Voorburg?
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 Voorburg safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Voorburg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Voorburg?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Voorburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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