Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria, VA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria, VA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,449 in Alexandria, VA versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,913 in Alexandria, VA versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,376 in Alexandria, VA versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Alexandria, VA is roughly 52% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alexandria, VA 150% above, Lisbon 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$17.55 €15.12

14.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 $105

$64.5 €55.6

62.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 $11.95

$11.65 €10.04

2.58%

Cappuccino

$4.37 $4.37

$3.26 €2.81

34.05%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.49 €2.15

7.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.67 €1.44

35.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.47 €2.99

43.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$3.58 €3.08

122.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.18 €1.02

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.95 €1.68

78.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$1.56 €1.35

233.33%

Eggs

$5.57 $5.57

$4.01 €3.46

38.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 $19.15

$13.27 €11.44

44.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$8.42 €7.26

142.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.10 $24.10

$18.23 €15.72

32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$2.32 €2.00

234.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.73 €1.49

35.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$1.93 €1.67

288.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$2.64 €2.27

212.88%

Potato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.90 €1.64

156.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.11 €1.82

53.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.44 €1.24

92.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.80 €0.69

286.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 $9.33

$7.01 €6.04

33.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.66 $17.66

$5.92 €5.11

198.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.36 €1.18

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.15 €1.85

71.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.38 €2.05

24.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 $80.2

$46.22 €39.85

73.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.19 €3.61

-4.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.10 €0.95

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.06 $25.06

$17.26 €14.88

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.25 €1.94

-59.11%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$34.5K €29.7K

6.87%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$41.6K €35.9K

-38.61%

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

$215 $215

$171 €147

25.96%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$19.01 €16.38

176.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 $61.7

$34.28 €29.55

79.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 $73.2

$49.65 €42.80

47.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 $15.59

$10.10 €8.71

54.36%

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

$2,001 $2,001

$699 €603

186.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K $32.1K

$17.8K €15.3K

80.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.55 $47.55

$105 €90.2

-54.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.74 $48.74

$47.97 €41.35

1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$102 €87.8

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$128 €111

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 $2,338

$1,661 €1,432

40.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 $1,824

$1,228 €1,059

48.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,408 $3,408

$2,915 €2,513

16.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,023 €1,744

35.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,696 $6,696

$8,129 €7,007

-17.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,027 $4,027

$4,635 €3,996

-13.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,918 $5,918

$1,619 €1,396

265.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

3.78

61.38%

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

Last update for Alexandria, VA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,338 in Alexandria, VA and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria, VA pays 266% 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: $105 in Alexandria, VA vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $565 vs $281 per month, with Lisbon 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

Alexandria, VA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria, VA and Lisbon differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($3,449 vs $2,268 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 266% higher in Alexandria, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,338 in Alexandria, VA versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,449 per month in Alexandria, VA versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 74% less than in Alexandria, VA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Alexandria, VA 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Alexandria, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.