🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,126 in Petrosani versus $2,243 in Lisbon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,741 in Petrosani versus $3,315 in Lisbon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,356 in Petrosani versus $4,387 in Lisbon.
🙂Living in Petrosani costs roughly 50% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Petrosani is 16% below, Lisbon is 67% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.04RON 60.9
$15.73€13.42
-10.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.58RON 185
$63.2€53.9
-32.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.90RON 34.29
$10.32€8.80
-23.45%
Cappuccino
$2.31RON 10.03
$2.81€2.40
-17.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89RON 8.21
$2.33€1.99
-18.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63RON 7.07
$1.51€1.29
7.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.65RON 7.18
$3.37€2.87
-51.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35RON 10.18
$3.91€3.34
-39.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.81RON 7.86
$1.08€0.92
67.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.29RON 5.59
$1.75€1.49
-26.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.92RON 8.35
$1.75€1.50
9.71%
Eggs
$3.54RON 15.37
$3.10€2.64
14.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.68RON 42.00
$13.28€11.33
-27.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.22RON 31.35
$7.85€6.70
-8.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.25RON 53.2
$16.05€13.69
-23.68%
Apples(1kg)
$1.40RON 6.06
$2.39€2.04
-41.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64RON 7.10
$1.72€1.47
-4.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.83RON 7.93
$1.97€1.68
-7.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.50RON 10.87
$2.55€2.17
-1.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.00RON 4.35
$1.79€1.53
-44.13%
Onion(1kg)
$1.03RON 4.47
$1.97€1.68
-47.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.95RON 4.11
$1.96€1.67
-51.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88RON 3.82
$0.84€0.71
4.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.57RON 28.52
$6.82€5.82
-3.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.26RON 31.49
$5.85€4.99
24.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23RON 5.34
$1.38€1.18
-10.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03RON 8.79
$2.92€2.49
-30.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.71RON 3.10
$2.29€1.95
-69.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.87RON 86.3
$46.88€39.99
-57.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.71RON 3.09
$4.12€3.51
-82.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.60RON 2.61
$0.81€0.69
-25.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.93RON 30.10
$18.94€16.16
-63.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.71RON 7.42
$2.09€1.78
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4KRON 123.2K
$35.1K€30.0K
-19.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8KRON 129.3K
$39.7K€33.9K
-25.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$179RON 778
$150€128
19.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.16RON 39.75
$20.49€17.48
-55.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.41RON 49.54
$39.15€33.40
-70.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.56RON 180
$49.65€42.35
-16.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15RON 83.1
$18.47€15.76
3.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.44RON 40.96
$9.20€7.84
2.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$674RON 2,924
$624€533
7.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8KRON 64.3K
$15.9K€13.6K
-6.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.9RON 347
$102€87.2
-21.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.87RON 199
$40.88€34.87
12.21%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.9RON 390
$95.7€81.6
-6.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111RON 480
$121€103
-8.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$393RON 1,707
$1,653€1,410
-76.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$292RON 1,267
$1,233€1,051
-76.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577RON 2,503
$3,043€2,596
-81.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$436RON 1,892
$2,059€1,756
-78.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$934RON 4,052
$7,879€6,720
-88.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$940RON 4,078
$4,303€3,671
-78.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Petrosani
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,566€1,336
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.1
3.81
86.35%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Petrosani: April 21, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Petrosani and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43 in Petrosani vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $270 per month, with Petrosani 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
Petrosani vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Petrosani and Lisbon?
Petrosani and Lisbon differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($1,126 vs $2,243 including rent). Petrosani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Petrosani compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $1,690 in Petrosani and $3,365 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Petrosani and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $393 in Petrosani versus $1,653 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 Petrosani and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $674 in Petrosani versus $624 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 14% 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 $1,126 in Petrosani versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Petrosani but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Petrosani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Petrosani 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 Petrosani or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Petrosani 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.
Where should expats move: Petrosani or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Petrosani 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.