Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zilina

For one person, living is cheaper in Zilina: $1,384 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Zilina, Slovakia
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Zilina
🇸🇰 Slovakia
$1,384
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Zilina

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Zilina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,384 in Zilina.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Zilina $1,384

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,054 in Zilina.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Zilina $2,054

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,724 in Zilina.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Zilina $2,724

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than in Zilina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Zilina 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$10.19 €9.13
63.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$55.3 €49.53
11.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$7.93 €7.11
43.25%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.46 €2.20
20.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.75 €1.57
30.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.44 €1.29
20.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.26 €2.02
50.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.29 €2.05
44.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.05 €0.94
10.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.39 €1.25
37.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.95 €1.74
-22.56%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.81 €3.41
5.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$12.77 €11.44
1.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$7.21 €6.46
7.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$12.38 €11.09
43.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.66 €1.48
38.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.03 €1.82
-14.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.41 €2.16
-22.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.42 €3.96
-41.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.35 €1.21
34.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.52 €1.36
29.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.67 €1.49
-11.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.83 €0.75
-13.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.24 €5.60
5.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$5.75 €5.15
-2.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.01 €0.91
34.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.44 €1.29
48.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.15 €1.03
102.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$22.09 €19.79
102.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.70 €1.53
126.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.10 €0.99
-2.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$21.95 €19.67
-25.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.77 €1.58
24.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$24.9K €22.3K
37.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$26.5K €23.8K
45.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$235 €210
-31.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$19.04 €17.06
-3.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$20.11 €18.02
62.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$36.47 €32.68
22.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$11.35 €10.17
68.28%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$9.43 €8.45
1.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$414 €371
61.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$6,597 €5,911
167.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$65.2 €58.5
56.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$28.10 €25.18
58.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$81.2 €72.7
21.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$94.6 €84.7
30.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$589 €528
173.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$482 €431
147.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$916 €821
206.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$764 €685
163.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$3,388 €3,036
131.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$2,900 €2,599
57.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Zilina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,391 €1,247
13.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.79
1.58%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Zilina: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Zilina
$482 59.5% $709
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Zilina
$254 6.6% $18
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Zilina
$163 32.6% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Zilina
$274 29% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Zilina
$121 27% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Zilina
$55 13.2% $8.4
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Zilina
$34 46.4% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $589 in Zilina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 13% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $55 in Zilina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $254 per month, with Zilina cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇸🇰 Zilina
🕒 Local time
08:15 8:15 AM
09:15 9:15 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
81,494
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Zilina 2,500 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Zilina

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zilina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Zilina?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,384 in Zilina, so Zilina is about 37% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Zilina?
Average pay runs 13% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Zilina?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $589 in Zilina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Zilina?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $414 in Zilina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,384 in Zilina versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zilina but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zilina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Zilina?
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.
Is Lisbon or Zilina safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Zilina are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Zilina?
Expats usually find Zilina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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