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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,247 per month in Herndon, VA vs $2,268 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,827 per month in Herndon, VA vs $3,348 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,407 per month in Herndon, VA vs $4,429 in Lisbon, rent included.

Herndon, VA costs about 43% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Herndon, VA and Lisbon sit above the global median – Herndon, VA by 135%, Lisbon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.90 $23.90

$17.55 €15.12

36.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$64.5 €55.6

56.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$11.65 €10.04

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$3.26 €2.81

82.52%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$2.49 €2.15

18.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.67 €1.44

49.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$3.47 €2.99

127.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.02 $9.02

$3.58 €3.08

151.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.18 €1.02

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.95 €1.68

113.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$1.56 €1.35

238.46%

Eggs

$5.01 $5.01

$4.01 €3.46

24.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.03 $17.03

$13.27 €11.44

28.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$8.42 €7.26

88.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 $18.97

$18.23 €15.72

4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.32 €2.00

146.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.73 €1.49

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.93 €1.67

147.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.64 €2.27

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.90 €1.64

52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.11 €1.82

85.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.44 €1.24

59.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.80 €0.69

221.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.73 $10.73

$7.01 €6.04

53.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$5.92 €5.11

165.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.36 €1.18

106.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.15 €1.85

35.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.38 €2.05

4.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.33 $30.33

$46.22 €39.85

-34.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.19 €3.61

-7.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.10 €0.95

11.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.78 $24.78

$17.26 €14.88

43.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.25 €1.94

-57.78%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.5K €29.7K

1.47%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$41.6K €35.9K

-35.99%

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

$165 $165

$171 €147

-3.60%

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

$81.9 $81.9

$19.01 €16.38

330.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 $70.3

$34.28 €29.55

105.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 $55.0

$49.65 €42.80

10.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 $9.94

$19.51 €16.81

-49.05%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 $16.34

$10.10 €8.71

61.78%

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

$1,605 $1,605

$699 €603

129.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$17.8K €15.3K

105.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 $65.8

$105 €90.2

-37.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 $44.55

$47.97 €41.35

-7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$102 €87.8

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$128 €111

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 $2,139

$1,661 €1,432

28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,228 €1,059

44.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 $3,317

$2,915 €2,513

13.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,090 $3,090

$2,023 €1,744

52.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,538 $5,538

$1,619 €1,396

242.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

3.78

64.81%

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

Last update for Herndon, VA: September 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,139 in Herndon, VA versus $1,661 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 242% higher in Herndon, VA, 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 $101 in Herndon, VA versus $64.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $478 vs $281 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,247 in Herndon, VA, $2,268 in Lisbon – roughly 43% apart. Herndon, VA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,871 per month in Herndon, VA and $3,402 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Herndon, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Herndon, VA and $64.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,247 in Herndon, VA and $2,268 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,268 in Lisbon to $3,247 in Herndon, VA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Herndon, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.