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: $971 in Satu Mare versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,485 in Satu Mare versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Satu Mare versus $4,405 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 29% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 RON 39.58

$17.30 €14.87

-49.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 RON 155

$63.3 €54.4

-45.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 RON 29.75

$11.39 €9.80

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 11.88

$3.19 €2.74

-17.55%

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

$1.54 RON 6.95

$2.45 €2.10

-37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 6.08

$1.76 €1.52

-23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 RON 9.07

$3.59 €3.09

-44.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RON 11.22

$3.39 €2.92

-26.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 RON 5.61

$1.24 €1.06

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 RON 5.01

$1.98 €1.71

-43.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.18

$1.52 €1.31

-24.34%

Eggs

$2.71 RON 12.23

$4.04 €3.47

-32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 RON 34.54

$13.54 €11.64

-43.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 RON 35.98

$8.39 €7.21

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RON 52.0

$18.25 €15.69

-36.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.11

$2.29 €1.97

-50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.39

$1.74 €1.50

-18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.14

$1.86 €1.60

-26.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$2.63 €2.26

-46.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.61

$1.92 €1.65

-35.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 RON 6.19

$2.09 €1.80

-34.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 RON 4.46

$1.44 €1.24

-31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RON 3.18

$0.84 €0.72

-15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 25.76

$6.78 €5.83

-15.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.39

$5.71 €4.91

14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.78

$1.38 €1.18

-7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.41

$2.22 €1.91

-16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 RON 2.42

$2.40 €2.06

-77.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.69 RON 111

$46.78 €40.22

-47.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$4.17 €3.59

-78.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.14 €0.98

-19.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 RON 37.93

$17.68 €15.20

-52.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.25

$2.32 €2.00

-30.60%

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

$23.8K RON 107.4K

$35.3K €30.4K

-32.65%

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

$25.8K RON 116.3K

$41.4K €35.6K

-37.85%

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

$130 RON 588

$170 €146

-23.55%

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

$7.67 RON 34.64

$19.34 €16.63

-60.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.41 RON 33.46

$33.64 €28.92

-77.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.41 RON 196

$48.10 €41.35

-9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.27 RON 50.9

$19.90 €17.11

-43.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 RON 30.09

$9.92 €8.53

-32.86%

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

$169 RON 762

$717 €617

-76.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,064 RON 18.3K

$17.5K €15.0K

-76.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 RON 285

$105 €90.1

-39.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.98 RON 135

$46.95 €40.37

-36.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 RON 400

$103 €88.9

-14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 RON 331

$124 €107

-40.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 RON 1,522

$1,677 €1,441

-79.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 RON 1,230

$1,271 €1,093

-78.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 RON 3,092

$2,985 €2,566

-77.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 RON 1,915

$1,992 €1,713

-78.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,046 RON 4,720

$7,826 €6,729

-86.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 RON 4,901

$4,658 €4,005

-76.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$704 RON 3,177

$1,583 €1,361

-55.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

3.79

86.02%

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

Last update for Satu Mare: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Satu Mare and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 125% 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: $34.00 in Satu Mare vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $283 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 139% in total monthly costs ($971 vs $2,316 including rent). Satu Mare is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% 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: $337 in Satu Mare versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $169 in Satu Mare versus $717 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $971 in Satu Mare versus $2,316 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 139% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.