Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,119 in Medias versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,699 in Medias versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Medias versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Medias costs roughly 50% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medias is 16% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.44 RON 54.1

$16.17 €13.81

-23.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 RON 221

$64.6 €55.1

-21.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 34.63

$10.38 €8.86

-23.31%

Cappuccino

$3.57 RON 15.52

$2.77 €2.37

28.88%

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

$1.98 RON 8.60

$2.25 €1.92

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.09

$1.57 €1.34

33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 RON 13.86

$3.49 €2.98

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.08

$4.00 €3.42

-13.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 5.86

$1.08 €0.93

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.63

$1.74 €1.49

-25.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.94

$1.74 €1.48

5.17%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.56

$3.18 €2.71

5.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 RON 37.14

$13.43 €11.47

-36.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 RON 30.74

$7.99 €6.83

-11.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.89 RON 51.7

$16.09 €13.74

-26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.19

$2.28 €1.95

-47.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.20

$1.72 €1.47

-4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 6.76

$1.94 €1.66

-20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.40

$2.54 €2.17

-5.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.34

$1.83 €1.56

-45.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.51

$2.04 €1.74

-49.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RON 3.85

$1.98 €1.69

-55.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.59

$0.85 €0.73

-3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.08

$6.85 €5.85

-15.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 RON 30.75

$5.78 €4.93

22.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 4.81

$1.37 €1.17

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.41

$2.90 €2.48

-41.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.92

$2.28 €1.95

-70.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.4

$46.84 €40.00

-58.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.29

$4.08 €3.48

-81.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.51

$0.82 €0.70

-1.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 RON 30.67

$18.27 €15.60

-61.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.47

$2.01 €1.71

-25.87%

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

$28.5K RON 124.1K

$35.3K €30.1K

-19.08%

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

$27.5K RON 119.6K

$38.5K €32.9K

-28.55%

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

$166 RON 724

$145 €124

14.50%

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

$7.98 RON 34.70

$20.96 €17.90

-61.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.95 RON 38.94

$40.05 €34.21

-77.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.75 RON 182

$48.79 €41.66

-14.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 RON 83.6

$18.69 €15.97

2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 RON 30.62

$9.06 €7.74

-22.30%

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

$440 RON 1,916

$607 €518

-27.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,542 RON 28.5K

$16.3K €13.9K

-59.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 294

$105 €89.4

-35.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.69 RON 186

$40.95 €34.97

4.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 RON 419

$93.6 €79.9

3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 RON 432

$119 €101

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,666

$1,604 €1,370

-76.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,272

$1,236 €1,055

-76.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,544

$3,046 €2,601

-80.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 1,938

$2,057 €1,756

-78.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,733 RON 7,536

$7,709 €6,583

-77.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,318 RON 5,733

$4,266 €3,644

-69.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

3.81

102.10%

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

Last update for Medias: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Medias and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Medias vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $271 per month, with Medias 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

Medias vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias and Lisbon differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($1,119 vs $2,227 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,678 in Medias and $3,341 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $383 in Medias versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $440 in Medias versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,119 in Medias versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Medias 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, Medias and Lisbon 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 Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.