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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,589 in Elgin, IL versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,129 in Elgin, IL versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Elgin, IL costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elgin, IL is 24% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$17.55 €15.13

11.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$64.5 €55.6

-6.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 $10.05

$11.65 €10.04

-13.73%

Cappuccino

$4.01 $4.01

$3.26 €2.81

23.01%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.49 €2.15

22.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 €1.44

18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.47 €2.99

73.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.58 €3.08

38.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.18 €1.02

-26.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.95 €1.68

86.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.56 €1.35

212.82%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$4.01 €3.46

-2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$13.27 €11.45

-15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$8.42 €7.26

59.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$18.23 €15.72

-34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.32 €2.00

90.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.73 €1.49

-22.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.93 €1.67

34.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.64 €2.28

59.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.90 €1.64

1.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.11 €1.82

-5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.44 €1.24

26.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.80 €0.69

195.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 $10.80

$7.01 €6.04

54.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 $15.56

$5.92 €5.11

162.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.36 €1.18

99.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.15 €1.85

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.19 €3.61

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.10 €0.95

76.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.49 $28.49

$17.26 €14.88

65.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.25 €1.94

-55.56%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$34.5K €29.7K

2.32%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$41.6K €35.9K

-39.80%

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

$101 $101

$171 €147

-40.82%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$19.01 €16.39

181.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.20 $49.20

$34.28 €29.56

43.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$10.10 €8.71

47.92%

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

$1,716 $1,716

$699 €603

145.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$17.8K €15.3K

32.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.21 $40.21

$105 €90.2

-61.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.96 $49.96

$47.97 €41.36

4.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$102 €87.8

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$128 €111

-6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$2,915 €2,514

-23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$2,023 €1,745

-12.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 $2,256

$8,129 €7,010

-72.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$4,635 €3,997

-52.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 $3,947

$1,619 €1,396

143.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

3.78

65.61%

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

Last update for Elgin, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Elgin, IL pays 144% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Elgin, IL vs $64.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $281, 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

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

Elgin, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 144% higher in Elgin, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,716 in Elgin, IL versus $699 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elgin, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Elgin, 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 Elgin, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.