Cost of Living Comparison Between Popovo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Popovo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Popovo versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,343 in Popovo versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,784 in Popovo versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Popovo costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Popovo is 33% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.90 BGN 14.80

$16.19 €14.18

-45.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.82 BGN 49.60

$63.3 €55.5

-52.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 BGN 12.07

$10.32 €9.04

-29.65%

Cappuccino

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$2.83 €2.48

-59.01%

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

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$2.29 €2.01

-65.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BGN 2.41

$1.58 €1.38

-8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 BGN 4.84

$3.40 €2.98

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 BGN 5.35

$4.03 €3.53

-20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.09 €0.96

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 BGN 1.62

$1.75 €1.53

-44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BGN 2.61

$1.76 €1.54

-10.80%

Eggs

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$3.17 €2.77

-40.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 BGN 9.83

$13.19 €11.56

-55.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 BGN 14.37

$7.97 €6.98

8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BGN 22.03

$15.53 €13.60

-14.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$2.37 €2.07

-51.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.71 €1.49

-30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$2.01 €1.76

-42.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 BGN 3.69

$2.43 €2.13

-8.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$1.76 €1.54

-48.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.74

$2.03 €1.78

-48.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 BGN 1.62

$1.92 €1.68

-49.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$0.85 €0.74

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 BGN 6.40

$6.58 €5.76

-41.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 BGN 9.85

$5.58 €4.89

6.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.43

$1.33 €1.17

-35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 BGN 0.95

$2.97 €2.60

-80.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 BGN 1.49

$2.28 €1.99

-60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.89 BGN 44.73

$45.79 €40.10

-41.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$4.23 €3.70

-85.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 BGN 0.90

$0.81 €0.71

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 BGN 13.33

$18.44 €16.15

-56.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$2.08 €1.82

-27.40%

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

$29.9K BGN 49.8K

$34.7K €30.4K

-13.66%

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

$22.3K BGN 37.2K

$39.2K €34.3K

-42.95%

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

$117 BGN 195

$148 €130

-20.88%

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

$17.90 BGN 29.77

$20.46 €17.92

-12.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.18 BGN 25.26

$39.56 €34.64

-61.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.37 BGN 48.85

$47.99 €42.03

-38.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 BGN 24.85

$18.60 €16.29

-19.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 BGN 11.80

$9.22 €8.08

-23.10%

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

$640 BGN 1,065

$616 €540

3.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,352 BGN 8,903

$16.4K €14.4K

-67.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 BGN 90.0

$103 €90.0

-47.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 BGN 60.9

$41.74 €36.55

-12.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 BGN 116

$94.8 €83.0

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.37 BGN 77.1

$122 €107

-62.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 BGN 490

$1,633 €1,430

-81.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 BGN 381

$1,232 €1,079

-81.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 BGN 799

$3,098 €2,713

-84.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 BGN 596

$2,031 €1,779

-82.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,303 BGN 2,168

$7,831 €6,858

-83.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,022 BGN 1,701

$4,389 €3,844

-76.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,266 BGN 2,106

$1,607 €1,408

-21.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.81

-18.90%

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

Last update for Popovo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Popovo and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 27% 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: $30.00 in Popovo vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $267 per month, with Popovo 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

Popovo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Popovo and Lisbon differ by about 154% in total monthly costs ($901 vs $2,291 including rent). Popovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $295 in Popovo versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $640 in Popovo versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Popovo versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Popovo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Popovo 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, Popovo 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 Popovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.