Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,479 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,930 in Fairfax, VA versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,380 in Fairfax, VA versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 52% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 154% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$17.59 €15.33

6.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.0 $95.0

$62.9 €54.8

51.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$11.58 €10.10

2.76%

Cappuccino

$6.10 $6.10

$3.10 €2.70

96.77%

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

$3.24 $3.24

$2.49 €2.17

30.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.74 €1.52

55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.48 €3.03

95.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.44 €3.00

137.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.15 €1.00

-2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$1.91 €1.66

118.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$1.50 €1.31

255.33%

Eggs

$5.32 $5.32

$3.98 €3.47

33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.73 $16.73

$13.29 €11.59

25.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$8.01 €6.98

85.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.11 $19.11

$18.04 €15.73

5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.35 €2.05

153.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.75 €1.53

30.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.85 €1.62

204.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$2.55 €2.22

121.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.84 €1.61

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.10 €1.83

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.49 €1.30

67.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.82 €0.71

228.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.83 $13.83

$7.10 €6.19

94.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 $15.31

$5.91 €5.15

159.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.31 €1.15

93.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.13 €1.86

122.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.36 €2.05

117.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 $68.9

$46.62 €40.63

47.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.08 €3.55

-25.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.14 €0.99

25.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.34 $24.34

$17.09 €14.90

42.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.31 €2.01

-57.14%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$34.1K €29.7K

4.94%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$41.4K €36.1K

-38.38%

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

$207 $207

$169 €147

22.73%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$19.33 €16.85

241.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$33.51 €29.21

133.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 $74.2

$48.84 €42.57

51.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.18 $25.18

$19.43 €16.94

29.59%

Cinema Ticket

$18.21 $18.21

$9.57 €8.34

90.28%

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

$1,958 $1,958

$696 €607

181.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.5K $35.5K

$17.4K €15.1K

104.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$105 €91.8

-49.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 $54.5

$47.75 €41.62

14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$101 €87.6

-8.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$124 €108

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,325 $2,325

$1,662 €1,449

39.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$1,246 €1,086

50.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,586 $3,586

$2,965 €2,584

20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,879 $2,879

$2,049 €1,786

40.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,541 $5,541

$7,834 €6,829

-29.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,113 $4,113

$4,464 €3,892

-7.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,797 $5,797

$1,632 €1,422

255.31%

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 Fairfax, VA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,325 in Fairfax, VA and $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 255% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $95.0 in Fairfax, VA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $277 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

Fairfax, VA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Fairfax, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 255% higher in Fairfax, VA, 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: $2,325 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,662 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Fairfax, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $95.0 in Fairfax, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,296 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fairfax, VA 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.