Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Albany and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,513 in Albany, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Albany
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,513
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Albany and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Albany and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,513 in Albany versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Albany $2,513
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,653 in Albany versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Albany $3,653
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,793 in Albany versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Albany $4,793
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Albany is roughly 14% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albany 85% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.35 A$27.84
$17.04 €15.15
13.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.1 A$120
$62.3 €55.4
33.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.24 A$14.73
$11.02 €9.80
-7.08%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.49
$3.12 €2.78
44.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 A$3.41
$2.27 €2.02
4.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 A$2.96
$1.74 €1.55
18.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.45 A$12.16
$3.42 €3.04
147.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.43 A$10.69
$3.74 €3.33
98.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.16
$1.17 €1.04
28.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.65 A$3.81
$1.86 €1.66
42.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 A$3.26
$1.54 €1.37
46.75%
Eggs
$5.33 A$7.67
$4.06 €3.61
31.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.50 A$13.67
$12.91 €11.49
-26.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.55 A$13.75
$7.90 €7.03
20.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.66 A$21.10
$17.64 €15.69
-16.89%
Apples (1kg)
$4.27 A$6.14
$2.26 €2.01
88.94%
Banana (1kg)
$3.08 A$4.44
$1.75 €1.55
76.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 A$4.70
$1.89 €1.68
73.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 A$6.48
$2.56 €2.27
75.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.05
$1.85 €1.64
51.89%
Onion (1kg)
$2.40 A$3.46
$1.97 €1.75
21.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 A$3.04
$1.45 €1.29
45.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 A$2.23
$0.77 €0.69
101.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.20 A$59.3
$6.71 €5.97
514.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.83 A$21.34
$5.67 €5.04
161.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.77 A$6.87
$1.37 €1.22
248.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.14 A$7.39
$2.11 €1.88
143.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.81 A$4.05
$2.32 €2.07
21.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.2 A$114
$44.43 €39.52
78.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 A$5.08
$3.95 €3.51
-10.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 A$2.27
$1.05 €0.93
50.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.48 A$56.8
$17.15 €15.26
130.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 A$1.71
$2.19 €1.95
-45.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K A$39.3K
$33.8K €30.0K
-19.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K A$43.3K
$38.3K €34.0K
-21.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 A$288
$164 €146
22.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.41 A$39.44
$18.48 €16.43
48.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.33 A$68.1
$32.96 €29.32
43.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.6 A$80.0
$45.87 €40.80
21.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.47 A$25.14
$18.68 €16.61
-6.48%
Cinema Ticket
$14.43 A$20.76
$9.75 €8.67
48.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,179 A$3,136
$684 €608
218.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K A$28.9K
$17.6K €15.7K
13.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.6 A$113
$104 €92.3
-24.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8 A$77.4
$46.20 €41.09
16.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 A$157
$99.7 €88.7
9.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 A$173
$125 €111
-3.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,374 A$1,977
$1,589 €1,414
-13.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 A$1,732
$1,169 €1,040
2.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,130 A$3,065
$2,851 €2,536
-25.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,842 A$2,651
$1,993 €1,773
-7.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,793 A$8,337
$7,793 €6,932
-25.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,841 A$6,966
$4,418 €3,930
9.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Albany
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,646 A$3,808
$1,600 €1,423
65.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
3.85
51.69%

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

Last update for Albany: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Albany
$1.2K
Lisbon
$1.2K 2.9% $35
Groceries & Markets
Albany
$372
Lisbon
$273 26.5% $99
Eating Out
Albany
$314
Lisbon
$247 21.3% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Albany
$275
Lisbon
$215 21.7% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Albany
$163
Lisbon
$168 3.6% $5.8
Getting Around
Albany
$102
Lisbon
$63 38.2% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Albany
$84
Lisbon
$65 22.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,374 in Albany and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albany pays 65% 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: $83.0 in Albany vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Albany
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
20:30 8:30 PM
13:30 1:30 PM
7 h behind Albany
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,128
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Albany Lisbon 15,350 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Albany
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Albany vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Albany or Lisbon?
Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Albany. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Albany or in Lisbon?
Average pay runs 65% higher in Albany, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Albany compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,374 in Albany versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Albany compared to Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $2,513 per month in Albany versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Albany compared to Lisbon?
A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 78% less than in Albany. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Albany or in Lisbon?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,513 in Albany, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Albany. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Albany or Lisbon?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,202 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.
How safe is Albany compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Albany 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Albany. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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