Cost of Living Comparison Between Vulcanesti and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Vulcanesti and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $813 in Vulcanesti versus $2,322 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,194 in Vulcanesti versus $3,409 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,575 in Vulcanesti versus $4,496 in Lisbon.

Living in Vulcanesti costs roughly 65% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vulcanesti is 41% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 MDL 121

$17.10 €14.63

-58.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MDL 509

$64.1 €54.8

-53.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 MDL 186

$11.71 €10.02

-6.58%

Cappuccino

$1.19 MDL 20.22

$3.14 €2.69

-62.10%

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

$0.79 MDL 13.37

$2.51 €2.14

-68.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MDL 7.30

$1.66 €1.42

-74.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 MDL 20.11

$3.51 €3.01

-66.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 24.13

$3.37 €2.88

-57.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 MDL 16.19

$1.16 €0.99

-18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.73

$2.02 €1.73

-74.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.08

$1.58 €1.35

12.03%

Eggs

$2.25 MDL 38.23

$4.05 €3.46

-44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MDL 121

$12.81 €10.96

-44.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 MDL 80.1

$8.02 €6.86

-41.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 MDL 151

$17.03 €14.57

-47.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 MDL 21.91

$2.38 €2.03

-45.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 29.92

$1.83 €1.57

-3.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.34

$1.99 €1.71

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MDL 32.43

$2.67 €2.28

-28.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MDL 11.31

$1.90 €1.63

-64.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 MDL 6.24

$1.97 €1.69

-81.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 MDL 37.74

$1.43 €1.23

55.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MDL 6.73

$0.91 €0.78

-56.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 MDL 58.2

$6.82 €5.84

-49.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.56 MDL 43.45

$5.73 €4.90

-55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.22

$1.33 €1.14

-32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MDL 22.13

$2.13 €1.83

-38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.75

$2.40 €2.05

-85.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.94 €39.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 MDL 20.03

$4.25 €3.63

-72.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 MDL 2.75

$1.11 €0.95

-85.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 MDL 59.6

$17.99 €15.39

-80.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.47

$2.20 €1.88

-40.00%

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

$24.2K MDL 410.5K

$35.2K €30.1K

-31.33%

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

$21.3K MDL 361.4K

$40.0K €34.2K

-46.85%

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

$107 MDL 1,815

$171 €146

-37.54%

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

$5.32 MDL 90.4

$19.61 €16.78

-72.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.93 MDL 101

$33.19 €28.39

-82.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.13 MDL 291

$47.96 €41.02

-64.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 €17.01

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 MDL 131

$10.12 €8.66

-23.72%

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

$117 MDL 1,980

$700 €599

-83.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,431 MDL 92.2K

$17.4K €14.8K

-68.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.41 MDL 533

$109 €93.4

-71.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.33 MDL 447

$47.84 €40.92

-44.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 MDL 1,455

$106 €90.9

-19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 MDL 2,445

$126 €108

14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 MDL 4,883

$1,708 €1,461

-83.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MDL 4,035

$1,265 €1,082

-81.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 €2,543

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 MDL 4,952

$2,000 €1,711

-85.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$907 MDL 15.4K

$8,013 €6,855

-88.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MDL 14.9K

$4,525 €3,871

-80.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 MDL 12.4K

$1,663 €1,422

-55.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

3.73

101.07%

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

Last update for Vulcanesti: August 18, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $288 in Vulcanesti and $1,708 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 127% 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: $30.00 in Vulcanesti vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $277 per month, with Vulcanesti 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

Vulcanesti vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vulcanesti and Lisbon differ by about 185% in total monthly costs ($813 vs $2,322 including rent). Vulcanesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 127% 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: $288 in Vulcanesti versus $1,708 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $813 per month in Vulcanesti versus $2,322 in Lisbon – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $813 in Vulcanesti versus $2,322 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vulcanesti but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Vulcanesti 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, Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.