Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $973 in Satu Mare versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Satu Mare versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Satu Mare versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Satu Mare costs roughly 58% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Satu Mare is 27% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 RON 43.50

$16.19 €14.17

-41.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.08 RON 211

$63.3 €55.4

-27.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 RON 31.03

$10.32 €9.03

-34.40%

Cappuccino

$2.42 RON 11.10

$2.83 €2.48

-14.49%

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

$1.72 RON 7.89

$2.29 €2.00

-24.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.42

$1.58 €1.38

-11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.78

$3.40 €2.98

-37.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.39

$4.03 €3.52

-43.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.81

$1.09 €0.95

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 RON 5.20

$1.75 €1.53

-35.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$1.76 €1.54

-29.55%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.73

$3.17 €2.77

1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 RON 36.25

$13.19 €11.54

-40.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 RON 29.25

$7.97 €6.97

-19.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.47 RON 52.6

$15.53 €13.59

-26.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.23

$2.37 €2.07

-51.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.57

$1.71 €1.49

-16.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$2.01 €1.76

-29.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.26

$2.43 €2.13

-25.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.30

$1.76 €1.54

-59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.65

$2.03 €1.78

-50.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 3.11

$1.92 €1.68

-64.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$0.85 €0.74

-8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 RON 26.59

$6.58 €5.76

-11.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 RON 30.05

$5.58 €4.88

17.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.55

$1.33 €1.17

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$2.97 €2.60

-42.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.55

$2.28 €1.99

-75.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.62 RON 118

$45.79 €40.06

-44.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 RON 4.17

$4.23 €3.70

-78.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.70

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 RON 33.71

$18.44 €16.13

-60.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.33

$2.08 €1.82

-23.08%

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

$25.0K RON 114.6K

$34.7K €30.3K

-27.91%

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

$26.0K RON 119.2K

$39.2K €34.3K

-33.60%

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

$139 RON 635

$148 €130

-6.41%

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

$8.08 RON 37.07

$20.46 €17.90

-60.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.45 RON 43.34

$39.56 €34.61

-76.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.91 RON 220

$47.99 €41.99

-0.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.58 RON 53.1

$18.60 €16.27

-37.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 31.49

$9.22 €8.07

-25.49%

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

$181 RON 831

$616 €539

-70.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K RON 46.6K

$16.4K €14.4K

-38.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 RON 300

$103 €89.9

-36.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.97 RON 142

$41.74 €36.52

-25.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 RON 384

$94.8 €82.9

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 RON 357

$122 €107

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 RON 1,416

$1,633 €1,428

-81.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 RON 1,104

$1,232 €1,078

-80.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 RON 2,489

$3,098 €2,711

-82.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 RON 1,571

$2,031 €1,777

-83.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,039 RON 4,767

$7,831 €6,851

-86.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 RON 4,945

$4,389 €3,840

-75.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 RON 3,171

$1,607 €1,406

-56.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

3.81

74.80%

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

Last update for Satu Mare: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Satu Mare and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 132% 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: $46.00 in Satu Mare vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $267 per month, with Satu Mare 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

Satu Mare vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Satu Mare and Lisbon differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($973 vs $2,291 including rent). Satu Mare is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 132% 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: $309 in Satu Mare versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $181 in Satu Mare 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 32% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $973 in Satu Mare versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare 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, Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.