Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Carteret, NC and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Carteret, NC and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,433 per month in Cape Carteret, NC vs $2,243 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,526 per month in Cape Carteret, NC vs $3,315 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,618 per month in Cape Carteret, NC vs $4,387 in Lisbon, rent included.

Cape Carteret, NC costs about 8% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cape Carteret, NC and Lisbon sit above the global median – Cape Carteret, NC by 82%, Lisbon by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$15.73 €13.42

25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$63.2 €53.9

-20.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$10.32 €8.80

18.02%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$2.81 €2.40

79.00%

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

$1.48 $1.48

$2.33 €1.99

-36.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.51 €1.29

56.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.37 €2.87

82.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.91 €3.34

75.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.08 €0.92

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.75 €1.49

72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$1.75 €1.50

208.57%

Eggs

$3.60 $3.60

$3.10 €2.64

16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 $11.38

$13.28 €11.33

-14.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.85 €6.70

-11.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 $16.06

$16.05 €13.69

0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.39 €2.04

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.72 €1.47

-13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.97 €1.68

43.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.55 €2.17

68.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.79 €1.53

26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.97 €1.68

57.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.96 €1.67

-13.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.84 €0.71

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

$6.82 €5.82

30.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.85 €4.99

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.38 €1.18

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.92 €2.49

-24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.29 €1.95

-15.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.12 €3.51

12.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$0.81 €0.69

116.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.67 $19.67

$18.94 €16.16

3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.09 €1.78

-58.37%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$35.1K €30.0K

-1.82%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$39.7K €33.9K

-32.33%

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

$163 $163

$150 €128

9.03%

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

$48.77 $48.77

$20.49 €17.48

138.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 $67.3

$39.15 €33.40

71.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 $43.06

$49.65 €42.35

-13.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 $9.83

$9.20 €7.84

6.85%

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

$1,604 $1,604

$624 €533

156.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$15.9K €13.6K

2.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.93 $49.93

$102 €87.2

-51.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.25 $45.25

$40.88 €34.87

10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 $84.3

$95.7 €81.6

-11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.29 $44.29

$121 €103

-63.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$1,653 €1,410

-2.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$1,233 €1,051

10.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,624 $2,624

$3,043 €2,596

-13.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$2,059 €1,756

8.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 $2,637

$7,879 €6,720

-66.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,515 $2,515

$4,303 €3,671

-41.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,048 $3,048

$1,566 €1,336

94.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

3.81

72.70%

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

Last update for Cape Carteret, NC: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Cape Carteret, NC 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 95% higher in Cape Carteret, NC, 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 $50 in Cape Carteret, NC versus $63 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Cape Carteret, NC vs $270 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

Cape Carteret, NC vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cape Carteret, NC is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,650 per month in Cape Carteret, NC 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,433 in Cape Carteret, NC and $2,243 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,604 per month in Cape Carteret, NC and $624 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 $2,433 in Cape Carteret, NC and $2,243 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, Cape Carteret, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.