Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellensburg, WA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ellensburg, WA, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Ellensburg, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,404
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ellensburg, WA and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ellensburg, WA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,404 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Ellensburg, WA $2,404
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $3,555 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Ellensburg, WA $3,555
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $4,705 per month in Ellensburg, WA vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Ellensburg, WA $4,705
  • Lisbon $4,341

Ellensburg, WA costs about 9% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ellensburg, WA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Ellensburg, WA by 77%, Lisbon by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.25 $15.25
$16.65 €14.95
-8.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.2 $75.2
$61.7 €55.5
21.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.13 $12.13
$11.36 €10.20
6.78%
Cappuccino
$5.04 $5.04
$2.97 €2.67
69.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$2.29 €2.06
-32.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.74 €1.56
-27.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 $4.87
$3.40 €3.06
43.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.09 $6.09
$3.31 €2.97
83.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.16 €1.04
-15.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.79 $2.79
$1.91 €1.72
46.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$1.51 €1.36
211.92%
Eggs
$4.23 $4.23
$4.02 €3.61
5.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.48 $15.48
$12.94 €11.62
19.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.66 $6.66
$7.77 €6.98
-14.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 $13.53
$17.76 €15.95
-23.82%
Apples (1kg)
$4.60 $4.60
$2.30 €2.07
100.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 $1.43
$1.73 €1.56
-17.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$1.86 €1.67
129.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$2.59 €2.33
52.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.82 €1.64
-17.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.97 €1.77
12.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.47 €1.32
33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$0.72 €0.65
165.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.89 $9.89
$6.58 €5.91
50.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.99 $13.99
$5.61 €5.04
149.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.36 €1.22
36.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.90 $4.90
$2.14 €1.92
128.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.05 $2.05
$2.33 €2.10
-12.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.6 $57.6
$44.68 €40.14
28.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.09 $5.09
$3.85 €3.46
32.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.07 €0.96
64.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.42 $39.42
$16.46 €14.79
139.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$2.20 €1.98
-52.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$34.2K €30.7K
-19.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$38.7K €34.8K
-29.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 $149
$161 €145
-7.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.60 $39.60
$18.41 €16.54
115.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.3 $71.3
$32.74 €29.41
117.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.90 $40.90
$44.55 €40.02
-8.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.10 €17.16
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.93 $15.93
$9.60 €8.62
65.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,356 $1,356
$668 €600
103.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.6K $21.6K
$17.6K €15.8K
22.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.48 $34.48
$102 €91.6
-66.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.61 $34.61
$44.46 €39.94
-22.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 $109
$98.5 €88.5
10.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.10 $40.10
$124 €111
-67.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 $1,614
$1,608 €1,445
0.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 $1,277
$1,190 €1,069
7.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,509 $2,509
$2,812 €2,526
-10.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,172 $2,172
$2,013 €1,808
7.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,531 $4,531
$7,839 €7,042
-42.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 $4,418
$4,576 €4,110
-3.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ellensburg, WA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,785 $1,785
$1,575 €1,415
13.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
3.85
68.83%

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

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ellensburg, WA
$1.3K
Lisbon
$1.2K 6.8% $87
Groceries & Markets
Ellensburg, WA
$349
Lisbon
$272 22% $77
Eating Out
Ellensburg, WA
$267
Lisbon
$243 9% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ellensburg, WA
$260
Lisbon
$212 18.4% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Ellensburg, WA
$98
Lisbon
$166 68.8% $68
Getting Around
Ellensburg, WA
$80
Lisbon
$63 20.6% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Ellensburg, WA
$73
Lisbon
$64 12.4% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA 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 13% higher in Ellensburg, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Ellensburg, WA versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $272 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Ellensburg, WA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
13:00 1:00 PM
20:00 8:00 PM
7 h ahead of Ellensburg, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,666
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ellensburg, WA Lisbon 8,310 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ellensburg, WA
  • Lisbon

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
Ellensburg, WA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ellensburg, WA or Lisbon?
Ellensburg, WA costs about 9% more than Lisbon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ellensburg, WA and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,605 per month in Ellensburg, WA and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ellensburg, WA compared to Lisbon?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,614 in Ellensburg, WA and $1,608 in Lisbon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How expensive is transport in Ellensburg, WA compared to Lisbon?
Public transport costs about 22% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Ellensburg, WA and in Lisbon?
Kindergarten costs $1,356 per month in Ellensburg, WA and $668 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Ellensburg, WA or in Lisbon?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA and $2,210 in Lisbon, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Ellensburg, WA or Lisbon?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,404 in Ellensburg, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Ellensburg, WA compared to Lisbon?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Ellensburg, WA or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ellensburg, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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