Cost of Living Comparison Between East Lansing, MI and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between East Lansing, MI and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,322 in East Lansing, MI versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,420 in East Lansing, MI versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in East Lansing, MI versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs are close between East Lansing, MI and Lisbon; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: East Lansing, MI 69% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.41 $16.41

$17.30 €14.93

-5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$63.3 €54.6

18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.39 €9.83

5.97%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$3.19 €2.75

65.20%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.45 €2.11

1.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.76 €1.52

21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.59 €3.10

41.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.39 €2.93

73.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.24 €1.07

-37.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.98 €1.71

47.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.52 €1.31

230.92%

Eggs

$2.85 $2.85

$4.04 €3.49

-29.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$13.54 €11.68

-17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.17 $17.17

$8.39 €7.24

104.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$18.25 €15.75

-9.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.29 €1.98

137.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.74 €1.50

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.86 €1.60

247.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.63 €2.27

33.84%

Potato (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.92 €1.65

204.17%

Onion (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$2.09 €1.81

175.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.44 €1.24

54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$0.84 €0.73

355.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.62 $9.62

$6.78 €5.85

41.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.21 $16.21

$5.71 €4.93

183.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.38 €1.19

42.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.22 €1.91

-34.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.40 €2.07

-30.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.04 $49.04

$46.78 €40.37

4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 $9.99

$4.17 €3.60

139.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.14 €0.98

180.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.11 $10.11

$17.68 €15.26

-42.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.32 €2.01

-61.21%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$35.3K €30.5K

-2.57%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$41.4K €35.8K

-39.74%

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

$172 $172

$170 €147

1.26%

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

$55.3 $55.3

$19.34 €16.69

185.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$33.64 €29.03

86.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.61 $36.61

$48.10 €41.50

-23.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$19.90 €17.17

-23.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 $10.97

$9.92 €8.56

10.58%

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

$649 $649

$717 €619

-9.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K $11.1K

$17.5K €15.1K

-36.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$105 €90.4

-47.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 $37.32

$46.95 €40.51

-20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 $69.5

$103 €89.2

-32.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 $84.3

$124 €107

-31.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 $1,196

$1,677 €1,447

-28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 $1,036

$1,271 €1,097

-18.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 $2,083

$2,985 €2,575

-30.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$1,992 €1,719

-14.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,996 $1,996

$7,826 €6,753

-74.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 $1,589

$4,658 €4,019

-65.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,006 $6,006

$1,583 €1,366

279.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

3.79

59.37%

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

Last update for East Lansing, MI: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,196 in East Lansing, MI and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

East Lansing, MI pays 279% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $75.0 in East Lansing, MI vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $283 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

East Lansing, MI vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 279% higher in East Lansing, MI, 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: $1,196 in East Lansing, MI versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 5% less than in East Lansing, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in East Lansing, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,322 in East Lansing, MI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in East Lansing, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, East Lansing, MI 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.

It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, East Lansing, MI on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.