Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Rapids, MI and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Rapids, MI and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,289 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $2,356 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,688 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $3,446 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,087 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $4,537 in Lisbon.

Living in Grand Rapids, MI costs roughly 3% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Grand Rapids, MI 69% above, Lisbon 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.82 $18.82

$17.16 €14.88

9.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$63.6 €55.1

16.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.48 €9.96

-13.94%

Cappuccino

$4.26 $4.26

$3.11 €2.70

36.98%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.41 €2.09

14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.63 €1.41

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.38 €2.93

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.45 €2.99

75.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.21 €1.05

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.94 €1.68

66.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.51 €1.31

115.89%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$3.99 €3.46

2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.19 €11.43

14.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 $12.95

$8.00 €6.94

61.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$16.90 €14.66

-12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.33 €2.02

116.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.81 €1.57

-8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$1.96 €1.70

187.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.56 €2.22

140.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.92 €1.67

13.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.05 €1.78

75.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.49 €1.29

93.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.86 €0.75

182.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 $10.57

$7.11 €6.17

48.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$5.92 €5.14

152.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.37 €1.19

43.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.14 €1.85

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.46 €2.13

-30.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.44 $46.44

$45.67 €39.60

1.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.00 €3.47

15.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.11 €0.96

82.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.95 $30.95

$17.36 €15.05

78.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.26 €1.96

-56.64%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$34.1K €29.6K

6.68%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$40.8K €35.4K

-37.58%

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

$132 $132

$173 €150

-23.84%

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

$48.39 $48.39

$19.21 €16.66

151.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$34.09 €29.56

118.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.16 $46.16

$47.69 €41.36

-3.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 $19.81

$19.61 €17.01

1.02%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$9.95 €8.63

53.07%

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

$897 $897

$706 €612

27.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K $20.6K

$17.4K €15.1K

18.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 $58.1

$109 €94.7

-46.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.61 $47.61

$47.13 €40.88

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$108 €93.7

-18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$128 €111

-9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 $1,644

$1,668 €1,446

-1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 $1,074

$1,288 €1,117

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 $2,462

$2,916 €2,529

-15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 $2,148

$2,067 €1,793

3.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$7,760 €6,729

-70.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,165 $2,165

$4,446 €3,856

-51.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,837 $3,837

$1,679 €1,456

128.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

3.72

69.35%

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

Last update for Grand Rapids, MI: August 10, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,644 in Grand Rapids, MI and $1,668 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grand Rapids, MI pays 129% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Grand Rapids, MI vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $276 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

Grand Rapids, MI vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand Rapids, MI is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 129% higher in Grand Rapids, 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: $1,644 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,668 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $897 in Grand Rapids, MI versus $706 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Grand Rapids, MI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Grand Rapids, MI 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, Grand Rapids, 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.

Expats usually find Grand Rapids, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.