Cost of Living Comparison Between Ann Arbor, MI and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ann Arbor, MI and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,717 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,233 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,749 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Ann Arbor, MI is roughly 17% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ann Arbor, MI 98% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.56 $18.56

$17.30 €14.89

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$63.3 €54.4

-4.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$11.39 €9.80

6.32%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.19 €2.75

58.93%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.45 €2.10

18.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.76 €1.52

19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.59 €3.09

78.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.39 €2.92

136.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.24 €1.06

-24.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.98 €1.71

93.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.52 €1.31

226.32%

Eggs

$3.75 $3.75

$4.04 €3.48

-7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$13.54 €11.65

41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$8.39 €7.22

60.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$18.25 €15.70

-18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$2.29 €1.97

201.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.74 €1.50

12.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.86 €1.60

102.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.63 €2.26

67.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.92 €1.65

22.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.09 €1.80

38.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.44 €1.24

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.84 €0.72

134.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$6.78 €5.83

47.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$5.71 €4.91

159.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.38 €1.18

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.22 €1.91

68.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.40 €2.06

-26.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.52 $45.52

$46.78 €40.25

-2.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.17 €3.59

-27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.14 €0.98

37.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.71 $26.71

$17.68 €15.21

51.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.32 €2.00

-56.03%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$35.3K €30.4K

1.48%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$41.4K €35.7K

-39.03%

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

$196 $196

$170 €147

15.33%

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

$57.5 $57.5

$19.34 €16.64

197.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$33.64 €28.95

117.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 $64.3

$48.10 €41.39

33.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.60 $19.60

$19.90 €17.12

-1.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$9.92 €8.54

30.54%

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

$2,025 $2,025

$717 €617

182.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K $20.1K

$17.5K €15.0K

14.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$105 €90.2

-47.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.91 $42.91

$46.95 €40.40

-8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$103 €89.0

10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$124 €107

-14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$1,677 €1,443

23.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$1,271 €1,094

11.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,881 $3,881

$2,985 €2,568

30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$1,992 €1,715

33.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,420 $5,420

$7,826 €6,734

-30.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 $2,518

$4,658 €4,008

-45.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,815 $4,815

$1,583 €1,362

204.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

3.79

60.42%

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

Last update for Ann Arbor, MI: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,070 in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ann Arbor, MI pays 204% 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: $60.0 in Ann Arbor, MI vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $283, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ann Arbor, MI and Lisbon differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,717 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 204% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,070 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,677 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 $60.0 in Ann Arbor, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,717 per month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 17% 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 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, 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.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Ann Arbor, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.