Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,794 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $2,243 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,183 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $3,315 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,572 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $4,387 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bellingham, WA costs about 25% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bellingham, WA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 109%, Lisbon by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$15.73 €13.42

27.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$63.2 €53.9

36.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$10.32 €8.80

27.52%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$2.81 €2.40

85.05%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.33 €1.99

8.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.51 €1.29

33.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.01 $7.01

$3.37 €2.87

108.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.91 €3.34

50.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.08 €0.92

-7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.75 €1.49

109.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.75 €1.50

141.71%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.10 €2.64

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$13.28 €11.33

28.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$7.85 €6.70

100.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$16.05 €13.69

-5.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.39 €2.04

142.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.72 €1.47

-9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.97 €1.68

116.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.55 €2.17

104.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.79 €1.53

63.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.97 €1.68

11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.96 €1.67

6.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.84 €0.71

201.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.44 $12.44

$6.82 €5.82

82.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$5.85 €4.99

161.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.38 €1.18

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.92 €2.49

64.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.29 €1.95

-57.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 $30.34

$46.88 €39.99

-35.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 $9.90

$4.12 €3.51

140.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.81 €0.69

112.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.1 $53.1

$18.94 €16.16

180.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.09 €1.78

-44.50%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$35.1K €30.0K

-2.10%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$39.7K €33.9K

-34.58%

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

$180 $180

$150 €128

20.19%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$20.49 €17.48

155.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$39.15 €33.40

91.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.1 $68.1

$49.65 €42.35

37.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 $18.35

$9.20 €7.84

99.46%

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

$1,445 $1,445

$624 €533

131.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$15.9K €13.6K

49.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$102 €87.2

-48.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.95 $27.95

$40.88 €34.87

-31.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$95.7 €81.6

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$121 €103

22.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 $1,697

$1,653 €1,410

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$1,233 €1,051

16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 $2,732

$3,043 €2,596

-10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 $2,448

$2,059 €1,756

18.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,994 $3,994

$7,879 €6,720

-49.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,075 $4,075

$4,303 €3,671

-5.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,156 $4,156

$1,566 €1,336

165.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

3.81

73.49%

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

Last update for Bellingham, WA: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,697 in Bellingham, WA versus $1,653 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 165% higher in Bellingham, WA, 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 $87 in Bellingham, WA versus $63 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $270 – 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

Bellingham, WA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellingham, WA costs about 25% 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 $4,191 per month in Bellingham, WA and $3,365 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,445 per month in Bellingham, WA and $624 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Bellingham, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,794 in Bellingham, WA and $2,243 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 $2,243 versus $2,794 in Bellingham, WA. 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, Bellingham, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.