🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $304 in Varanasi versus $2,227 in Lisbon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $512 in Varanasi versus $3,305 in Lisbon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $720 in Varanasi versus $4,384 in Lisbon.
🙂Living in Varanasi costs roughly 86% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Varanasi is 77% below, Lisbon is 66% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.28₹216
$16.17€13.84
-85.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.82₹837
$64.6€55.3
-86.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.58₹340
$10.38€8.88
-65.51%
Cappuccino
$1.55₹148
$2.77€2.37
-44.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33₹31.34
$2.25€1.92
-85.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11₹10.58
$1.57€1.35
-92.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72₹163
$3.49€2.99
-50.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27₹216
$4.00€3.43
-43.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.64₹60.6
$1.08€0.93
-40.74%
White Bread(500g)
$0.37₹34.68
$1.74€1.49
-78.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.53₹50.3
$1.74€1.49
-69.54%
Eggs
$0.95₹89.9
$3.18€2.72
-70.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.61₹343
$13.43€11.50
-73.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.57₹244
$7.99€6.84
-67.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$16.09€13.77
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.50₹143
$2.28€1.95
-34.21%
Banana(1kg)
$0.66₹62.2
$1.72€1.48
-61.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.87₹82.3
$1.94€1.66
-55.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.38₹36.12
$2.54€2.18
-85.04%
Potato(1kg)
$0.27₹25.61
$1.83€1.57
-85.25%
Onion(1kg)
$0.27₹25.73
$2.04€1.75
-86.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.35₹33.19
$1.98€1.69
-82.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31₹29.54
$0.85€0.73
-63.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92₹277
$6.85€5.87
-57.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.66₹537
$5.78€4.94
-2.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72₹163
$1.37€1.18
25.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62₹249
$2.90€2.48
-9.66%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$4.67₹443
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.56₹53.6
$2.28€1.95
-75.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.57₹1,004
$46.84€40.10
-77.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.20₹18.97
$4.08€3.49
-95.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.12₹11.05
$0.82€0.70
-85.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.19₹113
$18.27€15.64
-93.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.16₹110
$2.01€1.72
-42.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.0K₹1.3M
$35.3K€30.2K
-60.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K₹2.0M
$38.5K€32.9K
-46.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$13.87₹1,317
$145€124
-90.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.71₹352
$20.96€17.94
-82.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.50₹523
$40.05€34.29
-86.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$12.43₹1,180
$48.79€41.76
-74.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.83₹554
$18.69€16.00
-68.81%
Cinema Ticket
$3.00₹285
$9.06€7.76
-66.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$56.8₹5,392
$607€519
-90.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$933₹88.6K
$16.3K€14.0K
-94.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.89₹2,174
$105€89.6
-78.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.11₹2,289
$40.95€35.06
-41.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$40.07₹3,804
$93.6€80.1
-57.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$24.97₹2,371
$119€101
-78.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$130₹12.3K
$1,604€1,373
-91.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$53.0₹5,033
$1,236€1,058
-95.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$244₹23.2K
$3,046€2,607
-91.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$154₹14.6K
$2,057€1,761
-92.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$576₹54.7K
$7,709€6,599
-92.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$337₹31.9K
$4,266€3,652
-92.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Varanasi
Lisbon
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$589₹56.0K
$1,584€1,356
-62.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.72
3.81
128.87%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Varanasi: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Lisbon: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Varanasi and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays 169% 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: $9.00 in Varanasi vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $88.0 vs $271 per month, with Varanasi cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Varanasi vs Lisbon: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Varanasi and Lisbon?
Varanasi and Lisbon differ by about 632% in total monthly costs ($304 vs $2,227 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Lisbon earns 169% less. 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 Varanasi and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $130 in Varanasi versus $1,604 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 Varanasi and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $56.8 in Varanasi versus $607 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 207% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $304 in Varanasi versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varanasi but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Varanasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Varanasi 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 Varanasi or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Varanasi 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: Varanasi or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 632% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Varanasi vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado