Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zgorzelec Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zgorzelec

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,388 in Zgorzelec.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,057 in Zgorzelec.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,725 in Zgorzelec.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 59% more expensive than Zgorzelec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Zgorzelec 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$9.32 zł 33.98

70.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$48.63 zł 177

33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.17 zł 29.78

28.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.28 zł 11.97

-12.50%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.92 zł 3.36

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.68 zł 6.14

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.59 zł 5.80

119.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.18 zł 7.96

77.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.01 zł 3.67

12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.31 zł 4.77

33.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.65 zł 6.03

6.67%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.23 zł 11.80

-0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.09 zł 36.80

33.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.50 zł 23.72

21.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$11.78 zł 42.95

34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.92 zł 3.35

151.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.66 zł 6.04

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.76 zł 6.43

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.61 zł 5.88

52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.70 zł 2.56

162.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.15 zł 4.20

73.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.31 zł 4.76

47.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.66 zł 2.39

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$4.87 zł 17.76

35.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.26 zł 30.11

-30.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.91 zł 3.33

50.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.55 zł 5.66

91.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.11 zł 4.04

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$32.45 zł 118

40.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.13 zł 7.75

101.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.90 zł 3.27

-8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$10.79 zł 39.33

69.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.71 zł 6.22

20.47%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$33.2K zł 121.0K

3.27%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$32.4K zł 118.0K

21.38%

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

$148 €127

$277 zł 1,011

-46.68%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$10.07 zł 36.73

103.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$17.44 zł 63.6

127.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$35.85 zł 131

33.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$19.48 zł 71.0

-2.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$7.62 zł 27.79

20.47%

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

$614 €529

$409 zł 1,490

50.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,725 zł 24.5K

138.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$91.5 zł 334

14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$37.26 zł 136

12.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$93.3 zł 340

0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$105 zł 383

13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$660 zł 2,406

146.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$491 zł 1,790

155.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$984 zł 3,589

207.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$801 zł 2,922

152.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$2,951 zł 10.8K

164.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$2,634 zł 9,605

62.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,469 zł 5,355

9.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.8

-43.97%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zgorzelec: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $660 in Zgorzelec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 9% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $49.00 in Zgorzelec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $212 per month, with Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zgorzelec differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,388 including rent). Zgorzelec is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 9% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $660 in Zgorzelec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $409 in Zgorzelec. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,388 in Zgorzelec versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zgorzelec but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec 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 Zgorzelec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.