Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlow and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlow and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Carlow vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,997 per month in Carlow vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,368 per month in Carlow vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Carlow costs about 13% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Carlow and Lisbon sit above the global median – Carlow by 91%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.70 €18.65

$17.30 €14.87

25.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 €99.3

$63.3 €54.4

82.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 €11.91

$11.39 €9.80

21.60%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.00

$3.19 €2.74

45.77%

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

$2.78 €2.39

$2.45 €2.10

13.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.76 €1.52

28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 €6.59

$3.59 €3.09

113.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 €5.87

$3.39 €2.92

101.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.24 €1.06

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.98 €1.71

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.52 €1.31

50.66%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.92

$4.04 €3.47

12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 €11.86

$13.54 €11.64

1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 €9.70

$8.39 €7.21

34.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 €12.27

$18.25 €15.69

-21.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$2.29 €1.97

37.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.74 €1.50

35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 €2.68

$1.86 €1.60

67.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.94

$2.63 €2.26

30.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.92 €1.65

10.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.09 €1.80

-23.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.44 €1.24

-4.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$0.84 €0.72

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.03 €16.36

$6.78 €5.83

180.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 €12.34

$5.71 €4.91

151.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 €3.56

$1.38 €1.18

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 €4.10

$2.22 €1.91

114.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 €1.13

$2.40 €2.06

-45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 €4.79

$4.17 €3.59

33.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.14 €0.98

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.0 €49.01

$17.68 €15.20

222.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.32 €2.00

-9.05%

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

$39.8K €34.2K

$35.3K €30.4K

12.54%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$41.4K €35.6K

-7.47%

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

$250 €215

$170 €146

46.80%

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

$23.79 €20.46

$19.34 €16.63

23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.82

$33.64 €28.92

54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.0 €68.0

$48.10 €41.35

64.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 €49.89

$19.90 €17.11

191.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.99 €12.03

$9.92 €8.53

41.03%

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

$1,047 €900

$717 €617

45.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €75.6

$105 €90.1

-16.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.06 €42.19

$46.95 €40.37

4.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 €84.6

$103 €88.9

-4.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 €74.4

$124 €107

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 €1,268

$1,677 €1,441

-12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 €1,116

$1,271 €1,093

2.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 €2,326

$2,985 €2,566

-9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 €1,914

$1,992 €1,713

11.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,606 €2,241

$7,826 €6,729

-66.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,109 €1,813

$4,658 €4,005

-54.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,367 €2,035

$1,583 €1,361

49.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.79

-2.90%

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

Last update for Carlow: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Carlow versus $1,677 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 50% higher in Carlow, 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 $115 in Carlow versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $283 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Carlow vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Carlow is pricier by about 13%, 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 $3,939 per month in Carlow and $3,474 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 $2,626 in Carlow and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,047 per month in Carlow and $717 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,316, than in Carlow at $2,626. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Carlow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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