For one person, living is cheaper in Elk: $1,224 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Elk and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,224 per month in Elk vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.
Elk $1,224
Lisbon $2,210
A couple spends around $1,852 per month in Elk vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.
Elk $1,852
Lisbon $3,275
A family of three spends $2,479 per month in Elk vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.
Elk $2,479
Lisbon $4,341
🙂
Elk is about 45% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Elk sits 10% below the global median, while Lisbon is 62% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.07zł 35.91
$16.65€14.95
-45.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.16zł 163
$61.7€55.5
-33.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.70zł 30.48
$11.36€10.20
-32.22%
Cappuccino
$3.01zł 11.90
$2.97€2.67
1.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00zł 7.90
$2.29€2.06
-12.66%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58zł 6.25
$1.74€1.56
-9.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48zł 9.83
$3.40€3.06
-27.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80zł 15.02
$3.31€2.97
14.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.99zł 3.92
$1.16€1.04
-14.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26zł 5.00
$1.91€1.72
-34.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57zł 6.23
$1.51€1.36
3.97%
Eggs
$2.40zł 9.50
$4.02€3.61
-40.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.48zł 17.73
$12.94€11.62
-65.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.05zł 23.96
$7.77€6.98
-22.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.77zł 54.5
$17.76€15.95
-22.47%
Apples(1kg)
$1.07zł 4.25
$2.30€2.07
-53.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64zł 6.50
$1.73€1.56
-5.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.54zł 6.11
$1.86€1.67
-17.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.14zł 12.41
$2.59€2.33
21.24%
Potato(1kg)
$0.87zł 3.44
$1.82€1.64
-52.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36zł 5.39
$1.97€1.77
-30.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51zł 5.99
$1.47€1.32
2.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54zł 2.12
$0.72€0.65
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45zł 17.63
$6.58€5.91
-32.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.09zł 28.06
$5.61€5.04
26.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24zł 4.92
$1.36€1.22
-8.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25zł 4.95
$2.14€1.92
-41.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.69zł 2.72
$2.33€2.10
-70.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.36zł 84.5
$44.68€40.14
-52.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.06zł 8.15
$3.85€3.46
-46.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.50zł 1.97
$1.07€0.96
-53.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.23zł 24.67
$16.46€14.79
-62.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.53zł 6.07
$2.20€1.98
-30.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2Kzł 119.5K
$34.2K€30.7K
-11.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8Kzł 105.9K
$38.7K€34.8K
-30.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$186zł 734
$161€145
15.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.97zł 27.57
$18.41€16.54
-62.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.33zł 52.8
$32.74€29.41
-59.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.98zł 115
$44.55€40.02
-34.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.39zł 140
$19.10€17.16
85.29%
Cinema Ticket
$6.37zł 25.21
$9.60€8.62
-33.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299zł 1,184
$668€600
-55.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,039zł 19.9K
$17.6K€15.8K
-71.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.6zł 335
$102€91.6
-17.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.74zł 102
$44.46€39.94
-42.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.0zł 329
$98.5€88.5
-15.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116zł 458
$124€111
-6.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$522zł 2,065
$1,608€1,445
-67.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$442zł 1,748
$1,190€1,069
-62.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$915zł 3,620
$2,812€2,526
-67.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$772zł 3,056
$2,013€1,808
-61.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,147zł 8,498
$7,839€7,042
-72.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,891zł 7,485
$4,576€4,110
-58.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elk
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,203zł 4,760
$1,575€1,415
-23.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.21
3.85
61.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Elk: October 26, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Elk
$442 36.1%
Lisbon
$1.2K 53.8% ↑ 169%$748
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elk
$206 16.8%
Lisbon
$212 9.6% ↑ 3.2%$6.5
🛒Groceries & Markets
Elk
$201 16.4%
Lisbon
$272 12.3% ↑ 35.3%$71
🍽Eating Out
Elk
$166 13.6%
Lisbon
$243 11% ↑ 46.1%$77
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Elk
$139 11.4%
Lisbon
$166 7.5% ↑ 19.3%$27
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Elk
$42 3.4%
Lisbon
$64 2.9% ↑ 52.7%$22
🚌Getting Around
Elk
$29 2.3%
Lisbon
$63 2.9% ↑ 121%$35
🏠Accommodation & Living
Elk
$772 31.2%
Lisbon
$2K 46.4% ↑ 161%$1.2K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elk
$213 8.6%
Lisbon
$231 5.3% ↑ 8.4%$18
🛒Groceries & Markets
Elk
$472 19%
Lisbon
$649 15% ↑ 37.7%$178
🍽Eating Out
Elk
$536 21.6%
Lisbon
$801 18.5% ↑ 49.3%$265
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Elk
$309 12.5%
Lisbon
$369 8.5% ↑ 19.3%$60
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Elk
$119 4.8%
Lisbon
$147 3.4% ↑ 23.3%$28
🚌Getting Around
Elk
$59 2.4%
Lisbon
$131 3% ↑ 123%$72
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Elk versus $1,608 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 31% higher in Lisbon, 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 $41 in Elk versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $272 – making Elk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Elk vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elk cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,837 per month in Elk and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Elk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $522 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do food prices compare in Elk and in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Elk or in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Elk and $62 in Lisbon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Elk or in Lisbon?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elk, where all-in costs run around $1,224, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Elk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Elk or Lisbon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Elk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Elk. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.