Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vulcanesti Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Vulcanesti

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in Lisbon versus $813 in Vulcanesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,409 in Lisbon versus $1,194 in Vulcanesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,496 in Lisbon versus $1,575 in Vulcanesti.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 185% more expensive than in Vulcanesti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Vulcanesti is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.63

$7.12 MDL 121

140.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 €54.8

$29.99 MDL 509

113.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.02

$10.94 MDL 186

7.04%

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.69

$1.19 MDL 20.22

163.87%

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

$2.51 €2.14

$0.79 MDL 13.37

217.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.42

$0.43 MDL 7.30

286.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.01

$1.18 MDL 20.11

197.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.88

$1.42 MDL 24.13

137.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €0.99

$0.95 MDL 16.19

22.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.73

$0.51 MDL 8.73

296.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.77 MDL 30.08

-10.73%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.46

$2.25 MDL 38.23

80.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 €10.96

$7.15 MDL 121

79.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.86

$4.72 MDL 80.1

69.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 €14.57

$8.92 MDL 151

90.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$1.29 MDL 21.91

84.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.76 MDL 29.92

3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.90 MDL 32.34

4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.28

$1.91 MDL 32.43

39.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$0.67 MDL 11.31

183.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.37 MDL 6.24

432.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.22 MDL 37.74

-35.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.40 MDL 6.73

127.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.84

$3.43 MDL 58.2

98.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 €4.90

$2.56 MDL 43.45

123.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$0.90 MDL 15.22

47.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.30 MDL 22.13

63.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.05

$0.34 MDL 5.75

605.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 €3.63

$1.18 MDL 20.03

260.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.16 MDL 2.75

593.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 €15.39

$3.51 MDL 59.6

412.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.88

$1.32 MDL 22.47

66.67%

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

$35.2K €30.1K

$24.2K MDL 410.5K

45.62%

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

$40.0K €34.2K

$21.3K MDL 361.4K

88.14%

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

$171 €146

$107 MDL 1,815

60.10%

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

$19.61 €16.78

$5.32 MDL 90.4

268.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.19 €28.39

$5.93 MDL 101

459.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.96 €41.02

$17.13 MDL 291

179.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 €17.01

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 €8.66

$7.72 MDL 131

31.09%

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

$700 €599

$117 MDL 1,980

500.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €14.8K

$5,431 MDL 92.2K

219.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €93.4

$31.41 MDL 533

247.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 €40.92

$26.33 MDL 447

81.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.9

$85.7 MDL 1,455

23.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$144 MDL 2,445

-12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 €1,461

$288 MDL 4,883

493.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 €1,082

$238 MDL 4,035

432.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 €2,543

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 €1,711

$292 MDL 4,952

585.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,013 €6,855

$907 MDL 15.4K

783.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,525 €3,871

$880 MDL 14.9K

414.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,663 €1,422

$733 MDL 12.4K

126.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

7.5

-50.27%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Last update for Vulcanesti: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Lisbon and $288 in Vulcanesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 127% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $30.00 in Vulcanesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $165 per month, with Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Vulcanesti differ by about 185% in total monthly costs ($2,322 vs $813 including rent). Vulcanesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 127% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,708 in Lisbon versus $288 in Vulcanesti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,322 per month in Lisbon versus $813 in Vulcanesti – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $813 in Vulcanesti versus $2,322 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vulcanesti but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.