Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zaandam Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zaandam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,577 in Zaandam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,733 in Zaandam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,890 in Zaandam.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 11% less than in Zaandam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Zaandam 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$17.47 €15.30

-7.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$87.7 €76.8

-27.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$13.72 €12.02

-24.78%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.11 €3.60

-31.14%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$3.80 €3.33

-39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$3.30 €2.89

-52.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$7.00 €6.13

-51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.92 €5.19

-31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.27 €1.11

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.45 €2.14

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.94 €2.58

-40.14%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.90 €4.29

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$14.31 €12.53

-7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$15.31 €13.41

-47.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$17.06 €14.95

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.32 €2.03

2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.54 €2.22

-32.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.93 €1.69

4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.90 €3.41

-37.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.07 €1.82

-14.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.94 €1.70

4.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.19 €1.04

61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.88 €0.77

-3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$13.27 €11.62

-50.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$7.34 €6.43

-23.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.49 €1.31

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.50 €2.19

18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.55 €3.11

-35.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$93.6 €82.0

-51.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.13 €3.62

2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.46 €2.15

-67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$27.08 €23.71

-31.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.25 €1.97

-7.56%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$38.3K €33.6K

-9.60%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$37.0K €32.4K

5.76%

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

$148 €130

$271 €237

-45.37%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$23.54 €20.61

-13.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$51.8 €45.37

-23.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$47.27 €41.40

1.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$23.49 €20.57

-20.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$15.34 €13.44

-39.90%

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

$616 €540

$2,081 €1,822

-70.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,266 €5,487

162.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$112 €97.9

-8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$45.74 €40.06

-8.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$114 €99.7

-16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$150 €132

-18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,429 €1,251

14.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,169 €1,024

5.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,304 €2,017

34.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$1,723 €1,509

17.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$5,380 €4,712

45.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$4,470 €3,914

-1.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$4,772 €4,180

-66.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.28

-10.98%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zaandam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,429 in Zaandam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zaandam pays 197% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $88.0 in Zaandam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $346 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 Zaandam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zaandam differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,577 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 197% lower in Zaandam. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,429 in Zaandam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $2,081 in Zaandam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Zaandam. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,577 in Zaandam, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Zaandam. 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 Zaandam 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 12% less than in Zaandam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.