Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham, AL and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham, AL and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,408 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,805 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,202 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Birmingham, AL costs about 9% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Birmingham, AL and Lisbon sit above the global median – Birmingham, AL by 80%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 $18.30

$15.91 €13.69

15.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$64.8 €55.7

-8.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$10.51 €9.04

-3.52%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$2.87 €2.47

91.29%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$2.24 €1.93

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.50 €1.29

54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.49 €3.00

73.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 $7.55

$3.88 €3.34

94.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.14 €0.98

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.75 €1.51

106.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.76 €1.51

127.27%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$3.22 €2.77

32.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$13.49 €11.61

-16.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$7.91 €6.81

44.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$15.87 €13.65

-11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$2.31 €1.99

176.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.70 €1.46

18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$2.01 €1.73

266.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.46 €2.12

115.45%

Potato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.84 €1.59

128.80%

Onion (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.00 €1.72

152.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.93 €1.66

38.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.79 €0.68

245.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 $7.01

$6.61 €5.68

6.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$5.72 €4.92

163.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.37 €1.17

64.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.97 €2.56

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.37 €2.04

-35.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 $54.2

$45.56 €39.19

18.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.29 €3.69

-4.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.82 €0.70

96.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.55 $30.55

$18.30 €15.74

66.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.06 €1.78

-60.68%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$34.3K €29.5K

-11.11%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$39.3K €33.8K

-32.73%

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

$213 $213

$148 €127

43.98%

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

$49.23 $49.23

$20.52 €17.65

139.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 $54.5

$39.61 €34.08

37.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.84 $47.84

$47.85 €41.16

-0.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 $20.29

$18.92 €16.28

7.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$9.18 €7.90

49.67%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$614 €528

104.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$16.0K €13.8K

13.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$105 €90.0

-39.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$42.06 €36.18

-34.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$94.0 €80.8

10.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 $95.6

$120 €103

-20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 $1,550

$1,628 €1,400

-4.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$1,255 €1,080

-11.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 $2,571

$3,030 €2,607

-15.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 $2,307

$2,020 €1,738

14.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,034 $3,034

$7,800 €6,709

-61.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,863 $1,863

$4,273 €3,675

-56.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 $3,179

$1,603 €1,379

98.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

3.81

70.34%

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

Last update for Birmingham, AL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,550 in Birmingham, AL 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.

Salaries run about 98% higher in Birmingham, AL, 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 $59.0 in Birmingham, AL versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $429 in Birmingham, AL vs $269 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Birmingham, AL vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,408 in Birmingham, AL, $2,210 in Lisbon – roughly 9% apart. Birmingham, AL costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,612 per month in Birmingham, AL 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 $2,408 in Birmingham, AL and $2,210 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,408 in Birmingham, AL and $2,210 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,408 in Birmingham, AL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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