Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $310 in Varanasi versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $514 in Varanasi versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $717 in Varanasi versus $4,368 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 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 ₹220

$15.94 €13.73

-85.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 ₹825

$63.4 €54.6

-86.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 ₹330

$10.38 €8.95

-66.57%

Cappuccino

$1.55 ₹147

$2.79 €2.40

-44.44%

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

$0.33 ₹31.70

$2.34 €2.01

-85.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.84

$1.57 €1.35

-92.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 ₹168

$3.43 €2.95

-48.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₹217

$3.91 €3.37

-41.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.8

$1.08 €0.93

-36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 ₹37.32

$1.77 €1.52

-77.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.63

$1.71 €1.47

-69.59%

Eggs

$0.90 ₹85.6

$3.15 €2.71

-71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.58 ₹340

$13.68 €11.79

-73.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.59 ₹246

$8.01 €6.90

-67.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₹149

$2.29 €1.98

-31.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.5

$1.64 €1.41

-59.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ₹88.4

$1.94 €1.67

-52.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.36

$2.51 €2.17

-84.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 ₹25.42

$1.79 €1.54

-84.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.25 ₹23.53

$2.01 €1.73

-87.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ₹33.01

$1.97 €1.69

-82.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.46

$0.84 €0.73

-65.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₹275

$6.79 €5.85

-57.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 ₹538

$5.67 €4.89

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹159

$1.39 €1.20

20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ₹254

$3.02 €2.60

-11.59%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.52 ₹430

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.5

$2.27 €1.95

-75.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.59 ₹1,007

$45.44 €39.15

-76.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.22 ₹20.93

$4.29 €3.70

-94.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₹10.23

$0.85 €0.73

-87.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹107

$18.28 €15.75

-93.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.99 €1.71

-40.20%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$35.0K €30.2K

-60.91%

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

$20.8K ₹2.0M

$39.5K €34.1K

-47.37%

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

$13.88 ₹1,320

$146 €126

-90.50%

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

$3.65 ₹347

$20.45 €17.62

-82.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.28 ₹502

$38.98 €33.58

-86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.64 ₹1,202

$48.98 €42.21

-74.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 ₹555

$18.83 €16.22

-69.04%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 ₹270

$9.52 €8.21

-70.17%

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

$57.8 ₹5,493

$608 €524

-90.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$926 ₹88.1K

$16.5K €14.2K

-94.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.02 ₹2,189

$104 €89.5

-77.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.76 ₹2,355

$42.12 €36.29

-41.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.46 ₹3,847

$92.2 €79.5

-56.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.47 ₹2,423

$120 €103

-78.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 ₹11.9K

$1,621 €1,397

-92.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 ₹5,011

$1,268 €1,092

-95.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₹23.8K

$3,048 €2,626

-91.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 ₹14.5K

$2,009 €1,731

-92.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$553 ₹52.6K

$7,663 €6,602

-92.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$338 ₹32.2K

$4,329 €3,730

-92.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ₹55.1K

$1,585 €1,366

-63.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.72

3.81

128.87%

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

Last update for Varanasi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Varanasi and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 174% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $89.0 vs $269 per month, with Varanasi 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

Varanasi vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varanasi and Lisbon differ by about 629% in total monthly costs ($310 vs $2,263 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 174% less. 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: $125 in Varanasi versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.8 in Varanasi versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 203% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $310 in Varanasi versus $2,263 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.

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, 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.

Expats usually find Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 629% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.