Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Harrisburg, PA and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,495 in Harrisburg, PA, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Harrisburg, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,495
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Harrisburg, PA 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 Harrisburg, PA and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Harrisburg, PA versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Harrisburg, PA $2,495
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Harrisburg, PA versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Harrisburg, PA $3,624
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,752 in Harrisburg, PA versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Harrisburg, PA $4,752
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Harrisburg, PA is roughly 13% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harrisburg, PA 84% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.34 $13.34
$17.04 €15.15
-21.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.1 $66.1
$62.3 €55.4
6.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.67 $10.67
$11.02 €9.80
-3.18%
Cappuccino
$5.14 $5.14
$3.12 €2.78
64.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 $2.77
$2.27 €2.02
22.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$1.74 €1.55
32.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.13 $5.13
$3.42 €3.04
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20 $7.20
$3.74 €3.33
92.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 $1.29
$1.17 €1.04
10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$3.97 $3.97
$1.86 €1.66
113.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.54 €1.37
62.99%
Eggs
$6.41 $6.41
$4.06 €3.61
57.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.93 $14.93
$12.91 €11.49
15.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.44 $14.44
$7.90 €7.03
82.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.78 $18.78
$17.64 €15.69
6.46%
Apples (1kg)
$4.41 $4.41
$2.26 €2.01
95.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.75 €1.55
-5.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.56 $5.56
$1.89 €1.68
194.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.28 $5.28
$2.56 €2.27
106.25%
Potato (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.85 €1.64
65.41%
Onion (1kg)
$4.09 $4.09
$1.97 €1.75
107.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.45 €1.29
48.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 $2.69
$0.77 €0.69
249.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.81 $11.81
$6.71 €5.97
76.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.11 $15.11
$5.67 €5.04
166.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$1.37 €1.22
83.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 $5.13
$2.11 €1.88
143.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.48 $2.48
$2.32 €2.07
6.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.42 $49.42
$44.43 €39.52
11.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.62 $6.62
$3.95 €3.51
67.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.05 €0.93
84.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.47 $39.47
$17.15 €15.26
130.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$2.19 €1.95
-50.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K $27.4K
$33.8K €30.0K
-18.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$38.3K €34.0K
-28.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 $160
$164 €146
-2.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.79 $43.79
$18.48 €16.43
136.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.5 $72.5
$32.96 €29.32
120.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.57 $27.57
$45.87 €40.80
-39.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.01 $20.01
$18.68 €16.61
7.12%
Cinema Ticket
$11.17 $11.17
$9.75 €8.67
14.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,119 $1,119
$684 €608
63.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.7K $20.7K
$17.6K €15.7K
17.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.56 $40.56
$104 €92.3
-60.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.10 $32.10
$46.20 €41.09
-30.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.0 $79.0
$99.7 €88.7
-20.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 $100
$125 €111
-19.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,436 $1,436
$1,589 €1,414
-9.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 $1,266
$1,169 €1,040
8.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,072 $2,072
$2,851 €2,536
-27.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,006 $2,006
$1,993 €1,773
0.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,884 $1,884
$7,793 €6,932
-75.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,803 $1,803
$4,418 €3,930
-59.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Harrisburg, PA
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,176 $4,176
$1,600 €1,423
161.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.29
3.85
63.38%

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

Last update for Harrisburg, PA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Harrisburg, PA
$1.3K
Lisbon
$1.2K 7.6% $97
Groceries & Markets
Harrisburg, PA
$453
Lisbon
$273 39.8% $180
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Harrisburg, PA
$276
Lisbon
$215 22.1% $61
Eating Out
Harrisburg, PA
$261
Lisbon
$247 5.1% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Harrisburg, PA
$113
Lisbon
$168 48.6% $55
Getting Around
Harrisburg, PA
$76
Lisbon
$63 16.8% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Harrisburg, PA
$50
Lisbon
$65 31% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,436 in Harrisburg, PA and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harrisburg, PA pays 161% 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: $66.0 in Harrisburg, PA vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $453 vs $273 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Harrisburg, PA
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
02:50 2:50 AM
5 h ahead of Harrisburg, PA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,528
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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Harrisburg, PA Lisbon 5,670 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Harrisburg, PA
  • 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
Harrisburg, PA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Harrisburg, PA and in Lisbon?
Harrisburg, PA and Lisbon differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $2,202 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Harrisburg, PA or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 161% higher in Harrisburg, PA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Harrisburg, PA and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,436 in Harrisburg, PA versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Harrisburg, PA and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,119 in Harrisburg, PA versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Harrisburg, PA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,495 in Harrisburg, PA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Harrisburg, PA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Harrisburg, PA and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Harrisburg, PA or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Harrisburg, PA 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.
Where should expats move: Harrisburg, PA or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Harrisburg, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Harrisburg, PA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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