Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Olsztyn: $1,703 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Olsztyn, Poland
Lisbon, Portugal
Olsztyn
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,703
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,703 in Olsztyn versus $2,206 in Lisbon.

  • Olsztyn $1,703
  • Lisbon $2,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,449 in Olsztyn versus $3,276 in Lisbon.

  • Olsztyn $2,449
  • Lisbon $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,196 in Olsztyn versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Olsztyn $3,196
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Olsztyn costs roughly 23% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olsztyn 26% above, Lisbon 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.63 zł 49.27
$16.86 €15.00
-25.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.3 zł 196
$61.0 €54.3
-17.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 zł 33.94
$10.98 €9.77
-20.77%
Cappuccino
$3.29 zł 12.82
$3.05 €2.71
7.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 zł 9.66
$2.28 €2.03
8.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 zł 7.21
$1.68 €1.50
10.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 zł 12.04
$3.44 €3.06
-10.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 zł 14.64
$3.91 €3.48
-4.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 zł 3.99
$1.15 €1.02
-11.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 zł 4.88
$1.89 €1.68
-33.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 zł 5.37
$1.50 €1.34
-8.00%
Eggs
$3.87 zł 15.11
$4.12 €3.66
-6.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.61 zł 37.51
$13.01 €11.57
-26.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.55 zł 29.47
$8.04 €7.16
-6.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.51 zł 56.6
$17.89 €15.92
-18.89%
Apples (1kg)
$1.19 zł 4.64
$2.27 €2.02
-47.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 zł 6.46
$1.74 €1.55
-4.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 zł 7.08
$1.82 €1.62
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.44 zł 13.42
$2.69 €2.39
27.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.91 zł 3.55
$1.77 €1.57
-48.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 zł 4.61
$1.94 €1.72
-39.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 zł 5.24
$1.46 €1.30
-8.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 zł 2.81
$0.76 €0.68
-5.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 zł 21.40
$6.66 €5.92
-17.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.81 zł 30.47
$5.64 €5.02
38.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 zł 4.42
$1.29 €1.15
-12.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 zł 6.09
$2.14 €1.90
-27.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 zł 4.05
$2.30 €2.05
-54.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.18 zł 98.3
$44.02 €39.17
-42.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.98 zł 7.72
$3.98 €3.54
-50.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.73 zł 2.85
$0.64 €0.57
14.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.27 zł 40.07
$18.93 €16.84
-45.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.64 zł 6.40
$2.28 €2.03
-28.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.2K zł 121.9K
$33.4K €29.7K
-6.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K zł 112.8K
$38.5K €34.3K
-24.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$336 zł 1,312
$158 €141
112.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.64 zł 37.62
$17.54 €15.61
-45.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.98 zł 74.1
$31.18 €27.75
-39.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.06 zł 176
$44.64 €39.73
0.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.38 zł 87.3
$18.98 €16.89
17.91%
Cinema Ticket
$8.70 zł 33.96
$9.58 €8.52
-9.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$374 zł 1,458
$674 €599
-44.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K zł 54.6K
$18.7K €16.7K
-25.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.8 zł 385
$102 €90.9
-3.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.62 zł 186
$45.90 €40.85
3.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.9 zł 390
$102 €91.0
-2.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 zł 404
$122 €109
-15.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$820 zł 3,198
$1,641 €1,460
-50.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$638 zł 2,491
$1,187 €1,057
-46.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,308 zł 5,104
$2,825 €2,514
-53.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 zł 3,998
$2,018 €1,796
-49.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,616 zł 14.1K
$7,836 €6,973
-53.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,519 zł 9,827
$4,701 €4,183
-46.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Olsztyn
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,491 zł 5,816
$1,687 €1,501
-11.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.52
3.82
96.86%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Olsztyn
$638
Lisbon
$1.2K 86% $549
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Olsztyn
$365
Lisbon
$207 43.3% $158
Groceries & Markets
Olsztyn
$238
Lisbon
$275 15.5% $37
Eating Out
Olsztyn
$207
Lisbon
$245 18.6% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Olsztyn
$157
Lisbon
$168 6.4% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Olsztyn
$62
Lisbon
$64 2.1% $1.3
Getting Around
Olsztyn
$35
Lisbon
$60 72.7% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $820 in Olsztyn and $1,641 in Lisbon. 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: $50 in Olsztyn vs $61 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $275 per month, with Olsztyn cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Olsztyn
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
03:30 3:30 AM
02:30 2:30 AM
1 h behind Olsztyn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
174,675
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.9 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.39 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Olsztyn Lisbon 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Olsztyn
  • 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
Olsztyn vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Olsztyn and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,703 in Olsztyn and $2,206 in Lisbon, so Olsztyn is about 23% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Olsztyn. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Olsztyn and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $820 in Olsztyn versus $1,641 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 Olsztyn and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $374 in Olsztyn versus $674 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,500 go in Olsztyn compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Olsztyn and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Olsztyn or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Olsztyn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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