Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloomington, IL and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloomington, IL and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,168 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $2,296 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,121 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $3,376 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $4,457 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bloomington, IL is about 6% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bloomington, IL and Lisbon sit above the global median – Bloomington, IL by 58%, Lisbon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 $15.97

$17.59 €15.32

-9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.60 $45.60

$62.9 €54.8

-27.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$11.58 €10.09

2.76%

Cappuccino

$2.43 $2.43

$3.10 €2.70

-21.61%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$2.49 €2.17

-18.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.74 €1.52

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 $5.72

$3.48 €3.03

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.44 €3.00

49.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.15 €1.00

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.91 €1.66

26.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.50 €1.31

185.33%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$3.98 €3.47

-8.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$13.29 €11.58

-0.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$8.01 €6.98

-4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 $17.37

$18.04 €15.72

-3.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.35 €2.05

54.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.75 €1.52

-7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.85 €1.62

204.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.55 €2.22

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.84 €1.61

93.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.10 €1.83

24.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.49 €1.29

83.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.82 €0.71

245.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$7.10 €6.18

16.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$5.91 €5.15

151.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.31 €1.15

55.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.13 €1.86

57.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.36 €2.05

-47.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.59 $39.59

$46.62 €40.61

-15.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.08 €3.55

-15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.14 €0.99

37.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.53 $39.53

$17.09 €14.89

131.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.31 €2.01

-61.90%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$34.1K €29.7K

3.25%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$41.4K €36.0K

-40.90%

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

$193 $193

$169 €147

14.49%

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

$68.4 $68.4

$19.33 €16.84

253.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$33.51 €29.20

130.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 $61.2

$48.84 €42.55

25.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$9.57 €8.34

2.40%

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

$1,397 $1,397

$696 €606

100.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$17.4K €15.1K

35.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 $58.4

$105 €91.7

-44.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$47.75 €41.60

-10.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$101 €87.6

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$124 €108

-5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 $1,246

$1,662 €1,448

-25.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 $954

$1,246 €1,086

-23.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 $1,763

$2,965 €2,583

-40.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

$2,049 €1,785

-30.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,305 $1,305

$7,834 €6,825

-83.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,331 $1,331

$4,464 €3,889

-70.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,592 $4,592

$1,632 €1,421

181.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

3.78

61.11%

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

Last update for Bloomington, IL: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,246 in Bloomington, IL versus $1,662 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 181% higher in Bloomington, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bloomington, IL versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Bloomington, IL vs $277 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

Bloomington, IL vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 6% more than Bloomington, IL, 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 $3,252 per month in Bloomington, IL and $3,444 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,397 per month in Bloomington, IL and $696 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bloomington, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,168, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Bloomington, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bloomington, IL costs $2,168 versus $2,296 in Lisbon. 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 Bloomington, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.