Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zanjan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zanjan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $423 in Zanjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $766 in Zanjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,109 in Zanjan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 443% more expensive than in Zanjan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Zanjan is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$2.92 $2.92

502.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$13.20 $13.20

376.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$3.04 $3.04

280.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 $0.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$0.93 $0.93

233.33%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.51 $0.51

388.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.13 $1.13

53.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.71 $0.71

61.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.58 $0.58

229.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.17 $3.17

-52.68%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.26 $1.26

215.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$4.09 $4.09

224.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$3.22 $3.22

148.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$8.88 $8.88

103.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.08 $1.08

117.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.55 $1.55

12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.87 $0.87

112.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.45 $0.45

466.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.50 $0.50

268.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.48 $0.48

337.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.43 $0.43

246.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.26 $0.26

215.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$1.79 $1.79

296.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.20 $0.20

1080.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$9.99 $9.99

366.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.31 $0.31

1216.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.29 $0.29

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$1.03 $1.03

1559.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.03 $0.03

7600.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$50.8K $50.8K

-32.85%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$43.0K $43.0K

-3.85%

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

$169 €147

$13.14 $13.14

1182.72%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$1.52 $1.52

1171.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$3.73 $3.73

798.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$12.71 $12.71

284.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$12.65 $12.65

53.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$2.02 $2.02

373.76%

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

$696 €607

$111 $111

527.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$2,606 $2,606

565.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$26.81 $26.81

292.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$37.08 $37.08

28.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$107 $107

-5.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$76.0 $76.0

63.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$135 $135

1127.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$98.7 $98.7

1162.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$392 $392

655.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$316 $316

548.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$805 $805

872.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$458 $458

874.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$284 $284

474.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-83.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Zanjan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $135 in Zanjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 474% 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 $13.00 in Zanjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $113 per month, with Zanjan 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 Zanjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zanjan differ by about 443% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $423 including rent). Zanjan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 474% 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 $135 in Zanjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $111 in Zanjan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 144% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $423 in Zanjan versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zanjan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zanjan 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 Zanjan 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 Zanjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 443% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.