Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,610 in Boise, ID, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Boise, ID
🇺🇸 United States
$2,610
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boise, ID and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boise, ID and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,610 per month in Boise, ID vs $2,223 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Boise, ID $2,610
  • Lisbon $2,223

A couple spends around $3,672 per month in Boise, ID vs $3,271 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Boise, ID $3,672
  • Lisbon $3,271

A family of three spends $4,735 per month in Boise, ID vs $4,319 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Boise, ID $4,735
  • Lisbon $4,319

Boise, ID costs about 17% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Boise, ID and Lisbon sit above the global median – Boise, ID by 93%, Lisbon by 65%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.78 $19.78
$16.50 €14.67
19.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.3 $71.3
$61.3 €54.5
16.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.07 $13.07
$11.27 €10.03
15.97%
Cappuccino
$6.08 $6.08
$3.06 €2.72
98.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.26 €2.01
19.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.73 €1.54
14.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.92 $6.92
$3.39 €3.02
104.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.59 $6.59
$3.40 €3.02
93.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.12 €1.00
-12.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.74 $3.74
$1.86 €1.65
101.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.12 $6.12
$1.53 €1.36
300.00%
Eggs
$4.42 $4.42
$3.96 €3.53
11.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.09 $16.09
$12.76 €11.35
26.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.12 $11.12
$7.90 €7.02
40.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.27 $17.27
$16.97 €15.09
1.77%
Apples (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$2.27 €2.02
118.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.75 €1.55
0.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$1.85 €1.64
117.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.80 $4.80
$2.57 €2.28
86.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.88 $2.88
$1.86 €1.65
54.84%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.02 €1.80
27.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.44 €1.28
60.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 $2.42
$0.82 €0.73
195.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.10 $9.10
$6.56 €5.83
38.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.82 $15.82
$5.62 €5.00
181.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.28 €1.14
66.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 $3.33
$2.07 €1.84
60.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.35 €2.09
-35.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.35 $41.35
$44.18 €39.30
-6.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.59 $2.59
$3.99 €3.55
-35.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.09 €0.97
34.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.87 $23.87
$16.64 €14.81
43.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 $1.16
$2.28 €2.03
-49.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K $36.6K
$33.7K €30.0K
8.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$39.3K €35.0K
-36.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 $176
$167 €149
5.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.1 $56.1
$18.80 €16.72
198.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.2 $75.2
$33.09 €29.43
127.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.55 $39.55
$46.01 €40.93
-14.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.29 $37.29
$19.19 €17.07
94.32%
Cinema Ticket
$12.60 $12.60
$9.84 €8.75
28.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$959 $959
$677 €602
41.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K $24.1K
$16.9K €15.1K
42.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.0 $53.0
$101 €90.1
-47.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.26 $41.26
$45.76 €40.70
-9.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 $90.1
$100.0 €88.9
-9.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$123 €109
-10.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,613 $1,613
$1,614 €1,436
-0.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,289 $1,289
$1,197 €1,065
7.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,489 $2,489
$2,862 €2,545
-13.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,800 $1,800
$1,990 €1,770
-9.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,339 $7,339
$7,577 €6,740
-3.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,126 $3,126
$4,307 €3,831
-27.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Boise, ID
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,233 $4,233
$1,588 €1,412
166.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.68
3.85
73.51%

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

Last update for Boise, ID: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Boise, ID
$1.3K
Lisbon
$1.2K 7.1% $92
Groceries & Markets
Boise, ID
$422
Lisbon
$269 36.1% $152
Eating Out
Boise, ID
$337
Lisbon
$242 28.1% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boise, ID
$307
Lisbon
$219 28.6% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Boise, ID
$133
Lisbon
$166 25.5% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Boise, ID
$65
Lisbon
$66 1.5% $0.9
Getting Around
Boise, ID
$57
Lisbon
$63 9.9% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,613 in Boise, ID versus $1,614 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 167% higher in Boise, ID, 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 $71.0 in Boise, ID versus $61.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Boise, ID
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
12:52 12:52 PM
19:52 7:52 PM
7 h ahead of Boise, ID
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
235,684
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Boise, ID Lisbon 8,290 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Boise, ID
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Boise, ID vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Boise, ID or Lisbon?
Boise, ID costs about 17% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Boise, ID and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,914 per month in Boise, ID and $3,335 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Boise, ID or Lisbon?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Boise, ID and in Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $959 per month in Boise, ID and $677 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Boise, ID or in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 56% more in Boise, ID, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Boise, ID or in Lisbon?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,223, than in Boise, ID at $2,610. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boise, ID it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Boise, ID or Lisbon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,223 versus $2,610 in Boise, ID. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Boise, ID compared to Lisbon?
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.
Should I move to Boise, ID or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boise, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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