Cost of Living Comparison Between Belfast, ME and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Belfast, ME and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,618 per month in Belfast, ME vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,816 per month in Belfast, ME vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,014 per month in Belfast, ME vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Belfast, ME costs about 18% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Belfast, ME and Lisbon sit above the global median – Belfast, ME by 95%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 $18.82

$15.91 €13.81

18.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$64.8 €56.2

18.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$10.51 €9.12

4.19%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$2.87 €2.49

72.47%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.24 €1.95

12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 €1.30

32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.49 €3.03

74.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.88 €3.37

83.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.14 €0.99

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.75 €1.52

105.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.76 €1.52

140.34%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$3.22 €2.79

29.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$13.49 €11.71

-8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$7.91 €6.87

44.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$15.87 €13.77

-4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.31 €2.00

117.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.70 €1.48

-8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.01 €1.74

115.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.46 €2.13

97.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.84 €1.60

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.00 €1.74

39.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.93 €1.67

7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.79 €0.68

175.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.62 $9.62

$6.61 €5.73

45.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$5.72 €4.97

160.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.37 €1.18

30.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.97 €2.58

10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.37 €2.06

-14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.29 €3.72

-16.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.82 €0.71

96.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.24 $29.24

$18.30 €15.88

59.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.06 €1.79

-55.83%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$34.3K €29.7K

-12.17%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$39.3K €34.1K

-34.77%

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

$187 $187

$148 €128

26.35%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$20.52 €17.80

154.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$39.61 €34.37

68.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.88 $42.88

$47.85 €41.51

-10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$9.18 €7.97

49.67%

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

$1,319 $1,319

$614 €533

114.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$16.0K €13.9K

43.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$105 €90.8

-51.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.97 $39.97

$42.06 €36.49

-4.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$94.0 €81.5

-9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$120 €104

-7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$1,628 €1,412

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$1,255 €1,089

8.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$3,030 €2,629

-13.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$2,020 €1,753

10.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,709 $2,709

$7,800 €6,767

-65.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,355 $2,355

$4,273 €3,707

-44.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

3.81

70.87%

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

Last update for Belfast, ME: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,624 in Belfast, ME versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Belfast, ME versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $269 – 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

Belfast, ME vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Belfast, ME is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,927 per month in Belfast, ME and $3,315 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,618 in Belfast, ME and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,319 per month in Belfast, ME and $614 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,618 in Belfast, ME and $2,210 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.

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, Belfast, ME makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.