Cost of Living Comparison Between Zalau and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Zalau and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $958 in Zalau versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,442 in Zalau versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,925 in Zalau versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Zalau costs roughly 58% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zalau is 29% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 RON 36.74

$15.94 €13.73

-49.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 RON 154

$63.4 €54.6

-46.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 RON 25.72

$10.38 €8.95

-45.18%

Cappuccino

$2.08 RON 9.41

$2.79 €2.40

-25.45%

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

$2.07 RON 9.37

$2.34 €2.01

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.85

$1.57 €1.35

10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 RON 12.60

$3.43 €2.95

-18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 RON 12.64

$3.91 €3.37

-28.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.08 €0.93

39.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 RON 5.67

$1.77 €1.52

-29.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.13

$1.71 €1.47

-21.05%

Eggs

$2.23 RON 10.07

$3.15 €2.71

-29.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 RON 35.63

$13.68 €11.79

-42.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 RON 27.97

$8.01 €6.90

-22.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 RON 38.84

$15.52 €13.37

-44.65%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$2.29 €1.98

-58.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.89

$1.64 €1.41

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.17

$1.94 €1.67

-18.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 RON 9.67

$2.51 €2.17

-14.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$1.79 €1.54

-62.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RON 3.20

$2.01 €1.73

-64.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RON 2.99

$1.97 €1.69

-66.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.84 €0.73

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 RON 24.95

$6.79 €5.85

-18.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.35 RON 24.22

$5.67 €4.89

-5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$1.39 €1.20

-25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.88

$3.02 €2.60

-56.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$2.27 €1.95

-58.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.41 RON 87.8

$45.44 €39.15

-57.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 RON 4.37

$4.29 €3.70

-77.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.85 €0.73

-7.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.26

$18.28 €15.75

-50.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.22

$1.99 €1.71

-19.60%

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

$27.7K RON 125.1K

$35.0K €30.2K

-21.06%

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

$26.8K RON 121.4K

$39.5K €34.1K

-32.16%

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

$143 RON 645

$146 €126

-2.47%

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

$4.54 RON 20.53

$20.45 €17.62

-77.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.11 RON 32.16

$38.98 €33.58

-81.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.50 RON 161

$48.98 €42.21

-27.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 RON 88.4

$18.83 €16.22

3.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 RON 25.51

$9.52 €8.21

-40.76%

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

$423 RON 1,912

$608 €524

-30.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,962 RON 31.5K

$16.5K €14.2K

-57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 RON 258

$104 €89.5

-45.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.03 RON 172

$42.12 €36.29

-9.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 282

$92.2 €79.5

-32.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 RON 310

$120 €103

-42.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RON 1,788

$1,621 €1,397

-75.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,329

$1,268 €1,092

-76.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 RON 2,703

$3,048 €2,626

-80.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,956

$2,009 €1,731

-78.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 RON 8,872

$7,663 €6,602

-74.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,385 RON 6,265

$4,329 €3,730

-68.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 RON 2,936

$1,585 €1,366

-59.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.81

70.60%

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

Last update for Zalau: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Zalau and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 144% 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: $34.00 in Zalau vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $269 per month, with Zalau 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

Zalau vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zalau and Lisbon differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($958 vs $2,263 including rent). Zalau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 144% 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: $395 in Zalau versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $423 in Zalau 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 42% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $958 in Zalau versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zalau but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Zalau 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, Zalau 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 Zalau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.