Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ann Arbor, MI and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ann Arbor, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,750
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Ann Arbor, MI $2,750
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,198 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Ann Arbor, MI $4,198
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,646 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Ann Arbor, MI $5,646
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Ann Arbor, MI is roughly 25% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ann Arbor, MI 103% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.66 $18.66
$17.04 €15.15
9.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.3 $59.3
$62.3 €55.4
-4.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 $11.76
$11.02 €9.80
6.72%
Cappuccino
$5.18 $5.18
$3.12 €2.78
66.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 $2.90
$2.27 €2.02
27.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 $2.09
$1.74 €1.55
20.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.47 $6.47
$3.42 €3.04
89.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.14 $8.14
$3.74 €3.33
117.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.17 €1.04
-15.38%
White Bread (500g)
$3.83 $3.83
$1.86 €1.66
105.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.88 $4.88
$1.54 €1.37
216.88%
Eggs
$3.82 $3.82
$4.06 €3.61
-5.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.36 $19.36
$12.91 €11.49
49.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.03 $13.03
$7.90 €7.03
64.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.93 $14.93
$17.64 €15.69
-15.36%
Apples (1kg)
$6.91 $6.91
$2.26 €2.01
205.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.75 €1.55
6.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.81 $3.81
$1.89 €1.68
101.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 $4.50
$2.56 €2.27
75.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 $2.39
$1.85 €1.64
29.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.97 €1.75
44.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 $2.52
$1.45 €1.29
73.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.77 €0.69
162.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.32 $10.32
$6.71 €5.97
53.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.09 $15.09
$5.67 €5.04
166.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.37 €1.22
59.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 $3.79
$2.11 €1.88
79.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.32 €2.07
-23.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.62 $45.62
$44.43 €39.52
2.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 $2.93
$3.95 €3.51
-25.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.05 €0.93
43.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.09 $26.09
$17.15 €15.26
52.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$2.19 €1.95
-51.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K $29.6K
$33.8K €30.0K
-12.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$38.3K €34.0K
-31.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$201 $201
$164 €146
22.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$18.48 €16.43
218.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.0 $73.0
$32.96 €29.32
121.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.2 $63.2
$45.87 €40.80
37.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.46 $19.46
$18.68 €16.61
4.18%
Cinema Ticket
$13.22 $13.22
$9.75 €8.67
35.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,999 $1,999
$684 €608
192.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.6K $19.6K
$17.6K €15.7K
11.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8 $55.8
$104 €92.3
-46.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.52 $44.52
$46.20 €41.09
-3.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$99.7 €88.7
13.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 $106
$125 €111
-14.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 $2,077
$1,589 €1,414
30.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,375 $1,375
$1,169 €1,040
17.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,811 $3,811
$2,851 €2,536
33.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 $2,692
$1,993 €1,773
35.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,516 $5,516
$7,793 €6,932
-29.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,597 $2,597
$4,418 €3,930
-41.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,148 $5,148
$1,600 €1,423
221.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.6
3.85
71.43%

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

Last update for Ann Arbor, MI: October 17, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ann Arbor, MI
$1.4K
Lisbon
$1.2K 15% $206
Groceries & Markets
Ann Arbor, MI
$430
Lisbon
$273 36.5% $157
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ann Arbor, MI
$333
Lisbon
$215 35.3% $118
Eating Out
Ann Arbor, MI
$315
Lisbon
$247 21.5% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Ann Arbor, MI
$144
Lisbon
$168 17.2% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Ann Arbor, MI
$90
Lisbon
$65 27.1% $24
Getting Around
Ann Arbor, MI
$63
Lisbon
$63 0.5% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ann Arbor, MI pays 222% 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: $59.0 in Ann Arbor, MI vs $62.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $273, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Ann Arbor, MI
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
21:55 9:55 PM
02:55 2:55 AM
5 h ahead of Ann Arbor, MI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
123,851
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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ann Arbor, MI Lisbon 6,110 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ann Arbor, MI
  • 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
Ann Arbor, MI vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ann Arbor, MI and in Lisbon?
Ann Arbor, MI and Lisbon differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,750 vs $2,202 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Ann Arbor, MI or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 222% higher in Ann Arbor, MI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Ann Arbor, MI and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $59.0 in Ann Arbor, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ann Arbor, MI or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $2,750 per month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Ann Arbor, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ann Arbor, MI and Lisbon?
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.
Is Ann Arbor, MI or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ann Arbor, MI 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.
Where should expats move: Ann Arbor, MI or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Ann Arbor, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ann Arbor, MI vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?