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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,515 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,406 per month in Arlington, VA vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,298 per month in Arlington, VA vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 53% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arlington, VA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 163%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.01 $24.01

$16.19 €14.17

48.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 $89.1

$63.3 €55.4

40.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$10.32 €9.03

15.41%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.83 €2.48

98.94%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$2.29 €2.00

24.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.58 €1.38

60.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$3.40 €2.98

137.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 $8.85

$4.03 €3.52

119.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.09 €0.95

11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.75 €1.53

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$1.76 €1.54

302.27%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$3.17 €2.77

39.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$13.19 €11.54

33.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$7.97 €6.97

92.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.72 $21.72

$15.53 €13.59

39.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$2.37 €2.07

165.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.71 €1.49

20.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.01 €1.76

154.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.43 €2.13

138.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.76 €1.54

96.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.03 €1.78

66.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.92 €1.68

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.85 €0.74

187.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.45 $12.45

$6.58 €5.76

89.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 $16.87

$5.58 €4.88

202.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.33 €1.17

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.97 €2.60

42.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.28 €1.99

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$126 $126

$45.79 €40.06

174.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$4.23 €3.70

-27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.81 €0.71

93.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 $22.02

$18.44 €16.13

19.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.08 €1.82

-58.65%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$34.7K €30.3K

-13.02%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

-34.71%

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

$206 $206

$148 €130

38.91%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$20.46 €17.90

188.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$39.56 €34.61

78.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 $76.2

$47.99 €41.99

58.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 $23.71

$18.60 €16.27

27.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$9.22 €8.07

63.23%

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

$2,114 $2,114

$616 €539

243.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

143.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$103 €89.9

-46.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 $51.1

$41.74 €36.52

22.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 $93.4

$94.8 €82.9

-1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 €107

15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 $2,516

$1,633 €1,428

54.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$1,232 €1,078

53.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,298 $4,298

$3,098 €2,711

38.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,493 $3,493

$2,031 €1,777

71.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,364 $6,364

$7,831 €6,851

-18.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,027 $5,027

$4,389 €3,840

14.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,694 $6,694

$1,607 €1,406

316.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

3.81

71.92%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,516 in Arlington, VA versus $1,633 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 316% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Arlington, VA versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $497 vs $267 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Arlington, VA costs about 53% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,272 per month in Arlington, VA and $3,437 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Arlington, VA and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,515 in Arlington, VA and $2,291 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,291 versus $3,515 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.