Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,765 in Allentown, PA, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Allentown, PA, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Allentown, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,765
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Allentown, PA 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 Allentown, PA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,765 per month in Allentown, PA vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Allentown, PA $2,765
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $3,896 per month in Allentown, PA vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Allentown, PA $3,896
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $5,027 per month in Allentown, PA vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Allentown, PA $5,027
  • Lisbon $4,341

Allentown, PA costs about 25% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Allentown, PA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Allentown, PA by 103%, Lisbon by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81 $19.81
$16.65 €14.95
18.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.8 $91.8
$61.7 €55.5
48.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.23 $12.23
$11.36 €10.20
7.66%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$2.97 €2.67
88.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 $2.62
$2.29 €2.06
14.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.74 €1.56
-9.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.92 $4.92
$3.40 €3.06
44.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.84 $5.84
$3.31 €2.97
76.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 $1.19
$1.16 €1.04
2.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 $2.10
$1.91 €1.72
9.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.51 €1.36
60.93%
Eggs
$3.65 $3.65
$4.02 €3.61
-9.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.62 $15.62
$12.94 €11.62
20.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 $8.37
$7.77 €6.98
7.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.95 $18.95
$17.76 €15.95
6.70%
Apples (1kg)
$6.78 $6.78
$2.30 €2.07
194.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.73 €1.56
-4.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 $2.86
$1.86 €1.67
53.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.65 $6.65
$2.59 €2.33
156.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.68 $2.68
$1.82 €1.64
47.25%
Onion (1kg)
$3.30 $3.30
$1.97 €1.77
67.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.47 €1.32
51.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 $2.53
$0.72 €0.65
251.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.71 $11.71
$6.58 €5.91
77.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$5.61 €5.04
162.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 $2.33
$1.36 €1.22
71.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.14 €1.92
26.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 $2.55
$2.33 €2.10
9.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.0 $61.0
$44.68 €40.14
36.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 $2.94
$3.85 €3.46
-23.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.07 €0.96
105.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.24 $41.24
$16.46 €14.79
150.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$2.20 €1.98
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$34.2K €30.7K
-20.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$38.7K €34.8K
-31.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 $188
$161 €145
16.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.2 $54.2
$18.41 €16.54
194.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$32.74 €29.41
115.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.16 $30.16
$44.55 €40.02
-32.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.42 $25.42
$19.10 €17.16
33.09%
Cinema Ticket
$13.03 $13.03
$9.60 €8.62
35.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,204 $1,204
$668 €600
80.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K $11.8K
$17.6K €15.8K
-33.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.88 $37.88
$102 €91.6
-62.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.3 $51.3
$44.46 €39.94
15.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.7 $89.7
$98.5 €88.5
-8.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$124 €111
-4.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,668 $1,668
$1,608 €1,445
3.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,470 $1,470
$1,190 €1,069
23.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,481 $2,481
$2,812 €2,526
-11.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 $2,048
$2,013 €1,808
1.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,166 $2,166
$7,839 €7,042
-72.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,905 $1,905
$4,576 €4,110
-58.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Allentown, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,074 $3,074
$1,575 €1,415
95.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.43
3.85
67.01%

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

Last update for Allentown, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Allentown, PA
$1.5K
Lisbon
$1.2K 19% $280
Groceries & Markets
Allentown, PA
$392
Lisbon
$272 30.5% $119
Eating Out
Allentown, PA
$315
Lisbon
$243 23.1% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Allentown, PA
$313
Lisbon
$212 32.1% $101
Clothing & Footwear
Allentown, PA
$134
Lisbon
$166 24.2% $32
Getting Around
Allentown, PA
$85
Lisbon
$63 25.8% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Allentown, PA
$56
Lisbon
$64 13.4% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Allentown, PA versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 95% higher in Allentown, PA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Allentown, PA versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $272 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Allentown, PA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
17:20 5:20 PM
21:20 9:20 PM
4 h ahead of Allentown, PA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
120,443
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Allentown, PA Lisbon 5,540 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Allentown, PA
  • 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
Allentown, PA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Allentown, PA or Lisbon?
Allentown, PA costs about 25% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Allentown, PA and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,147 per month in Allentown, PA and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Allentown, PA compared to Lisbon?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,668 in Allentown, PA and $1,608 in Lisbon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How expensive is transport in Allentown, PA compared to Lisbon?
Public transport costs about 27% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Allentown, PA and in Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $1,204 per month in Allentown, PA and $668 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Allentown, PA or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Allentown, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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