Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zalau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zalau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $913 in Zalau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,404 in Zalau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,895 in Zalau.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 152% more expensive than in Zalau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Zalau is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$7.72 RON 35.38

127.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$36.12 RON 165

74.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$5.63 RON 25.81

105.68%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.37 RON 10.85

30.80%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.54 RON 7.03

61.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.30 RON 5.97

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.97 RON 9.03

76.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.41 RON 11.03

42.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.41 RON 6.47

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.13 RON 5.18

69.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.35 RON 6.19

11.11%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.08 RON 9.51

91.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$8.53 RON 39.07

55.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$6.01 RON 27.52

33.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$10.67 RON 48.88

69.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.93 RON 4.25

152.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.40 RON 6.42

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.53 RON 7.02

20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.89 RON 8.67

34.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.68 RON 3.11

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.56 RON 2.59

275.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.64 RON 2.95

132.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.79 RON 3.63

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$5.17 RON 23.68

37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$5.40 RON 24.76

9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.13 RON 5.18

15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.25 RON 5.74

70.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.85 RON 3.90

177.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$22.91 RON 105

103.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.85 RON 3.88

380.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.93 RON 4.28

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$8.13 RON 37.24

110.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.61 RON 7.36

43.48%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$29.9K RON 137.1K

14.01%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

51.66%

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

$169 €147

$108 RON 493

56.67%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$4.47 RON 20.49

332.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$6.77 RON 31.00

394.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$34.58 RON 158

41.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

$21.01 RON 96.2

-7.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$5.56 RON 25.48

72.12%

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

$696 €606

$456 RON 2,088

52.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,261 RON 33.3K

138.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$55.2 RON 253

90.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$31.04 RON 142

53.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$60.1 RON 275

67.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$67.7 RON 310

83.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$408 RON 1,869

307.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$297 RON 1,361

319.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$626 RON 2,866

373.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$479 RON 2,193

327.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$1,934 RON 8,859

305.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

$1,430 RON 6,549

212.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$645 RON 2,952

153.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.85

-44.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Zalau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $408 in Zalau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 153% 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 $36.00 in Zalau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $190 per month, with Zalau 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 Zalau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zalau differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $913 including rent). Zalau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 153% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $408 in Zalau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $456 in Zalau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $913 in Zalau versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zalau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zalau 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 Zalau 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 Zalau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.