Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Szczecin: $1,343 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Szczecin
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,343
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,343 in Szczecin versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Szczecin $1,343
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,997 in Szczecin versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Szczecin $1,997
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,651 in Szczecin versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Szczecin $2,651
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Szczecin costs roughly 40% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Szczecin is 1% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.13 zł 35.49
$16.50 €14.67
-44.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.70 zł 178
$61.3 €54.5
-25.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.22 zł 31.94
$11.27 €10.03
-27.06%
Cappuccino
$2.96 zł 11.50
$3.06 €2.72
-3.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 zł 7.22
$2.26 €2.01
-17.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 zł 5.42
$1.73 €1.54
-19.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.01 zł 11.70
$3.39 €3.02
-11.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 zł 11.53
$3.40 €3.02
-12.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 zł 3.56
$1.12 €1.00
-17.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 zł 5.01
$1.86 €1.65
-30.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 zł 4.27
$1.53 €1.36
-28.10%
Eggs
$3.35 zł 13.02
$3.96 €3.53
-15.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.32 zł 36.22
$12.76 €11.35
-26.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.43 zł 24.99
$7.90 €7.02
-18.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.89 zł 50.1
$16.97 €15.09
-24.04%
Apples (1kg)
$0.89 zł 3.46
$2.27 €2.02
-60.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 zł 6.50
$1.75 €1.55
-4.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 zł 5.90
$1.85 €1.64
-17.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 zł 9.03
$2.57 €2.28
-9.73%
Potato (1kg)
$0.84 zł 3.28
$1.86 €1.65
-54.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 zł 4.04
$2.02 €1.80
-48.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 zł 4.27
$1.44 €1.28
-23.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 zł 2.17
$0.82 €0.73
-31.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.26 zł 20.43
$6.56 €5.83
-19.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.19 zł 24.05
$5.62 €5.00
10.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 zł 4.13
$1.28 €1.14
-17.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 zł 5.71
$2.07 €1.84
-28.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.78 zł 3.04
$2.35 €2.09
-66.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 zł 98.9
$44.18 €39.30
-42.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.98 zł 7.70
$3.99 €3.55
-50.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 zł 3.40
$1.09 €0.97
-20.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.65 zł 49.15
$16.64 €14.81
-23.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.64 zł 6.37
$2.28 €2.03
-28.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K zł 116.6K
$33.7K €30.0K
-10.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K zł 108.5K
$39.3K €35.0K
-28.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 zł 937
$167 €149
43.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.23 zł 47.52
$18.80 €16.72
-34.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.03 zł 73.9
$33.09 €29.43
-42.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.45 zł 118
$46.01 €40.93
-33.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$50.3 zł 196
$19.19 €17.07
162.22%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 zł 24.32
$9.84 €8.75
-36.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 zł 1,301
$677 €602
-50.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,493 zł 29.1K
$16.9K €15.1K
-55.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1 zł 268
$101 €90.1
-31.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.31 zł 137
$45.76 €40.70
-22.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 zł 310
$100.0 €88.9
-20.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.6 zł 352
$123 €109
-26.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$602 zł 2,339
$1,614 €1,436
-62.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 zł 1,922
$1,197 €1,065
-58.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,136 zł 4,415
$2,862 €2,545
-60.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 zł 3,240
$1,990 €1,770
-58.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,284 zł 12.8K
$7,577 €6,740
-56.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,343 zł 9,102
$4,307 €3,831
-45.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szczecin
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,556 zł 6,046
$1,588 €1,412
-1.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
3.85
77.14%

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

Last update for Szczecin: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Szczecin
$495
Lisbon
$1.2K 142% $702
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szczecin
$272
Lisbon
$219 19.4% $53
Groceries & Markets
Szczecin
$207
Lisbon
$269 30% $62
Eating Out
Szczecin
$167
Lisbon
$242 44.8% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Szczecin
$124
Lisbon
$166 34.7% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Szczecin
$43
Lisbon
$66 52.9% $23
Getting Around
Szczecin
$35
Lisbon
$63 80.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Szczecin and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 2% 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 Szczecin vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $269 per month, with Szczecin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇱 Szczecin
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
04:05 4:05 AM
03:05 3:05 AM
1 h behind Szczecin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
387,700
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Szczecin Lisbon 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Szczecin
  • 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
Szczecin vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Szczecin and in Lisbon?
Szczecin and Lisbon differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,343 vs $2,223 including rent). Szczecin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 2% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Szczecin and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $602 in Szczecin versus $1,614 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 Szczecin and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $335 in Szczecin versus $677 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 30% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,343 in Szczecin versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Szczecin 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 Szczecin or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Szczecin 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: Szczecin or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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