Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Metz and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Metz: $1,859 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Metz, France
Lisbon, Portugal
Metz
🇫🇷 France
$1,859
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Metz and in Lisbon

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,859 in Metz versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Metz $1,859
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Metz versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Metz $2,789
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,719 in Metz versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Metz $3,719
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Metz costs roughly 16% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Metz 37% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.52 €14.84
$16.65 €14.96
-0.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.7
$61.7 €55.5
9.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.07 €9.95
$11.36 €10.20
-2.55%
Cappuccino
$3.58 €3.22
$2.97 €2.67
20.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 €3.52
$2.29 €2.06
71.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.12
$1.74 €1.56
35.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 €4.41
$3.40 €3.06
44.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73 €5.15
$3.31 €2.97
73.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €1.00
$1.16 €1.04
-4.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 €2.26
$1.91 €1.72
31.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.65 €2.38
$1.51 €1.36
75.50%
Eggs
$4.46 €4.00
$4.02 €3.61
10.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.84 €19.62
$12.94 €11.62
68.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.69 €12.30
$7.77 €6.99
76.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.86 €19.64
$17.76 €15.96
23.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 €2.87
$2.30 €2.07
38.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.73 €1.56
27.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.87 €2.58
$1.86 €1.67
54.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.11 €3.69
$2.59 €2.33
58.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.82 €1.64
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 €2.30
$1.97 €1.77
29.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.47 €1.32
26.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.83
$0.72 €0.65
27.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.35 €12.89
$6.58 €5.92
118.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.10 €8.18
$5.61 €5.04
62.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.47
$1.36 €1.22
101.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 €3.19
$2.14 €1.92
65.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.20 €1.98
$2.33 €2.10
-5.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.0 €51.2
$44.68 €40.14
27.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.99 €8.08
$3.85 €3.46
133.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.07 €0.96
39.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.00 €39.54
$16.46 €14.79
167.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.10 €1.89
$2.20 €1.98
-4.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K €31.0K
$34.2K €30.7K
0.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.1K €34.2K
$38.7K €34.8K
-1.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 €138
$161 €145
-4.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.72 €14.12
$18.41 €16.54
-14.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.14 €20.79
$32.74 €29.41
-29.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.57 €17.58
$44.55 €40.03
-56.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 €10.03
$19.10 €17.16
-41.57%
Cinema Ticket
$11.19 €10.06
$9.60 €8.62
16.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,764 €1,585
$668 €600
164.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.9K €23.3K
$17.6K €15.8K
47.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.1 €85.4
$102 €91.7
-6.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.91 €19.69
$44.46 €39.95
-50.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.0 €85.4
$98.5 €88.5
-3.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 €145
$124 €111
30.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$746 €670
$1,608 €1,445
-53.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$711 €639
$1,190 €1,069
-40.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,133 €1,018
$2,812 €2,527
-59.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,073 €964
$2,013 €1,809
-46.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,703 €3,327
$7,839 €7,043
-52.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,960 €2,659
$4,576 €4,111
-35.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Metz
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,278 €2,945
$1,575 €1,415
108.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.45
3.85
-10.39%

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

Last update for Metz: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Metz
$711
Lisbon
$1.2K 67.5% $479
Groceries & Markets
Metz
$394
Lisbon
$272 30.8% $121
Eating Out
Metz
$269
Lisbon
$243 10% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Metz
$193
Lisbon
$212 10.2% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Metz
$168
Lisbon
$166 1.4% $2.3
Getting Around
Metz
$82
Lisbon
$63 23.1% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Metz
$42
Lisbon
$64 51.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Metz and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Metz pays about 2.1 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68 in Metz vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Metz
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
17:46 5:46 PM
16:46 4:46 PM
1 h behind Metz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
120,874
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Metz Lisbon 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Metz
  • Lisbon

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
Metz vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Metz and in Lisbon?
Metz and Lisbon differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,859 vs $2,210 including rent). Metz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Metz or Lisbon?
Average pay in Metz is about 2.1 times higher, 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 Metz and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $746 in Metz versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Metz and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,764 in Metz versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $2,500 go in Metz compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Metz gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Metz and Lisbon?
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 Metz or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Metz 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.

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