Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Szeged versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Szeged versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,208 in Szeged versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Szeged costs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Szeged is 19% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.76 Ft 2,456
$15.75 €13.74
-50.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 Ft 14.4K
$63.5 €55.3
-28.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.71 Ft 1,806
$10.45 €9.11
-45.36%
Cappuccino
$1.96 Ft 620
$2.91 €2.54
-32.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Ft 433
$2.29 €2.00
-40.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 Ft 314
$1.50 €1.31
-34.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.37 Ft 748
$3.56 €3.11
-33.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 Ft 683
$3.96 €3.46
-45.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 Ft 350
$1.08 €0.94
2.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 Ft 460
$1.76 €1.54
-17.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 Ft 583
$1.70 €1.48
8.24%
Eggs
$2.82 Ft 893
$3.25 €2.83
-13.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.83 Ft 2,477
$13.25 €11.55
-40.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.89 Ft 1,863
$7.70 €6.72
-23.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.22 Ft 3,550
$15.77 €13.75
-28.85%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 Ft 587
$2.28 €1.99
-18.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 Ft 559
$1.66 €1.44
6.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 Ft 646
$2.02 €1.76
0.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.94 Ft 930
$2.47 €2.16
19.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 Ft 333
$1.79 €1.56
-41.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 Ft 380
$2.07 €1.80
-42.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 Ft 456
$1.97 €1.72
-26.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 Ft 140
$0.83 €0.73
-46.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.24 Ft 2,292
$6.55 €5.71
10.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.95 Ft 1,565
$5.57 €4.85
-11.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 Ft 316
$1.33 €1.16
-24.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 Ft 375
$3.01 €2.62
-60.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.56 Ft 493
$2.27 €1.98
-31.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.00 Ft 8,860
$46.35 €40.41
-39.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.85 Ft 900
$4.23 €3.69
-32.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 Ft 419
$0.85 €0.74
56.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.08 Ft 5,405
$18.83 €16.41
-9.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 Ft 557
$2.02 €1.76
-12.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K Ft 8.3M
$35.0K €30.5K
-24.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K Ft 8.1M
$39.6K €34.6K
-35.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$106 Ft 33.6K
$148 €129
-28.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.84 Ft 7,860
$20.52 €17.89
21.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.55 Ft 5,870
$39.52 €34.46
-53.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.81 Ft 12.6K
$48.17 €42.00
-17.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.18 Ft 6,385
$18.39 €16.03
9.73%
Cinema Ticket
$7.95 Ft 2,517
$9.10 €7.93
-12.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$217 Ft 68.8K
$615 €536
-64.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,385 Ft 2.0M
$16.3K €14.2K
-60.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.0 Ft 28.2K
$102 €88.6
-12.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.65 Ft 8,116
$42.09 €36.69
-39.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.6 Ft 27.7K
$92.3 €80.5
-5.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 Ft 33.7K
$122 €106
-12.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$436 Ft 137.8K
$1,612 €1,405
-72.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$341 Ft 107.8K
$1,254 €1,093
-72.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$662 Ft 209.4K
$3,069 €2,676
-78.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$550 Ft 173.9K
$2,037 €1,776
-73.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,269 Ft 1.0M
$7,751 €6,757
-57.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,387 Ft 755.4K
$4,286 €3,737
-44.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szeged
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,336 Ft 422.7K
$1,602 €1,396
-16.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.85
3.81
53.54%

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

Last update for Szeged: July 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Szeged and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 20% 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: $45.00 in Szeged vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $267 per month, with Szeged 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
Szeged vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Szeged and in Lisbon?
Szeged and Lisbon differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,078 vs $2,280 including rent). Szeged 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 20% 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 Szeged and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Szeged versus $1,612 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 Szeged and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $217 in Szeged versus $615 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 29% 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 $1,078 in Szeged versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szeged but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Szeged the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Szeged 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 Szeged or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Szeged 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: Szeged or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Szeged gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Szeged vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities