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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,735 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,098 in Carbondale, IL versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Carbondale, IL versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Carbondale, IL costs roughly 25% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Carbondale, IL 26% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 $18.18

$17.30 €14.89

5.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.36 $38.36

$63.3 €54.4

-39.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 $8.99

$11.39 €9.80

-21.07%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.19 €2.75

59.25%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$2.45 €2.10

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.76 €1.52

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.59 €3.09

26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.39 €2.92

130.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.24 €1.06

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.98 €1.71

56.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.52 €1.31

170.39%

Eggs

$3.45 $3.45

$4.04 €3.48

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$13.54 €11.65

-16.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$8.39 €7.22

36.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 $18.17

$18.25 €15.70

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.29 €1.97

100.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.74 €1.50

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.86 €1.60

153.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.63 €2.26

84.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.92 €1.65

-15.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.09 €1.80

14.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.44 €1.24

79.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.84 €0.72

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.56 $8.56

$6.78 €5.83

26.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 $13.38

$5.71 €4.91

134.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.38 €1.18

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.22 €1.91

-27.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 $2.06

$4.17 €3.59

-50.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.14 €0.98

17.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

$17.68 €15.21

12.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.32 €2.00

-56.90%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$35.3K €30.4K

5.56%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$41.4K €35.7K

-35.32%

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

$169 $169

$170 €147

-0.63%

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

$85.5 $85.5

$19.34 €16.64

342.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$33.64 €28.95

119.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 $12.19

$9.92 €8.54

22.88%

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

$1,710 $1,710

$717 €617

138.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K $26.9K

$17.5K €15.0K

54.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 $43.80

$105 €90.2

-58.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.60 $32.60

$46.95 €40.40

-30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 $78.1

$103 €89.0

-24.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$124 €107

15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 $663

$1,677 €1,443

-60.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 $556

$1,271 €1,094

-56.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$834 $834

$7,826 €6,734

-89.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$839 $839

$4,658 €4,008

-82.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,757 $3,757

$1,583 €1,362

137.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

3.79

59.89%

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

Last update for Carbondale, IL: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $663 in Carbondale, IL and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carbondale, IL pays 137% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Carbondale, IL vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $380 vs $283, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Carbondale, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Carbondale, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 137% higher in Carbondale, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $663 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,735 per month in Carbondale, IL versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,735 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carbondale, IL but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Carbondale, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Carbondale, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,735 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Carbondale, IL hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Carbondale, IL and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Carbondale, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.