Cost of Living Comparison Between Anchorage, AK and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Anchorage, AK and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,846 in Anchorage, AK versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,292 in Anchorage, AK versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,737 in Anchorage, AK versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Anchorage, AK is roughly 24% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Anchorage, AK 113% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.46 $25.46

$16.19 €14.15

57.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$63.3 €55.3

57.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$10.32 €9.02

28.00%

Cappuccino

$5.43 $5.43

$2.83 €2.47

91.87%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.29 €2.00

13.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.58 €1.38

72.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.40 €2.97

139.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$4.03 €3.52

89.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.09 €0.95

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.75 €1.53

129.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.76 €1.54

146.59%

Eggs

$3.31 $3.31

$3.17 €2.77

4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

$13.19 €11.53

-7.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.77 $12.77

$7.97 €6.96

60.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.95 $20.95

$15.53 €13.57

34.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 $7.80

$2.37 €2.07

229.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.71 €1.49

12.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$2.01 €1.75

217.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.03 $7.03

$2.43 €2.12

189.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.76 €1.54

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.03 €1.78

38.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.92 €1.68

39.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.85 €0.74

169.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.53 $11.53

$6.58 €5.75

75.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 $16.87

$5.58 €4.87

202.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.33 €1.16

27.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.97 €2.60

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.28 €1.99

-12.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 $58.8

$45.79 €40.01

28.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.23 €3.69

-36.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.81 €0.71

114.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.29 $37.29

$18.44 €16.11

102.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.08 €1.82

-51.44%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$34.7K €30.3K

-4.64%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$39.2K €34.2K

-34.11%

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

$286 $286

$148 €129

93.48%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$20.46 €17.88

158.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 $130

$39.56 €34.56

229.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.0 $81.0

$47.99 €41.93

68.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.57 $40.57

$18.60 €16.25

118.12%

Cinema Ticket

$13.63 $13.63

$9.22 €8.06

47.83%

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

$955 $955

$616 €538

55.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$16.4K €14.4K

-38.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.55 $48.55

$103 €89.7

-52.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.14 $45.14

$41.74 €36.47

8.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$94.8 €82.8

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$122 €107

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$1,633 €1,426

-8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 $1,205

$1,232 €1,077

-2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$3,098 €2,707

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 $2,237

$2,031 €1,775

10.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,078 $4,078

$7,831 €6,842

-47.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,831 $2,831

$4,389 €3,835

-35.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,722 $4,722

$1,607 €1,404

193.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

3.81

69.55%

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

Last update for Anchorage, AK: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Anchorage, AK and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anchorage, AK pays 194% 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: $100 in Anchorage, AK vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $267 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

Anchorage, AK vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Anchorage, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 194% higher in Anchorage, AK, 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: $1,489 in Anchorage, AK versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $100 in Anchorage, AK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,846 per month in Anchorage, AK versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,291 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Anchorage, AK 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 24% less than in Anchorage, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.