Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilo, HI and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilo, HI and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,849 per month in Hilo, HI vs $2,296 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,020 per month in Hilo, HI vs $3,376 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,191 per month in Hilo, HI vs $4,457 in Lisbon, rent included.

Hilo, HI costs about 24% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hilo, HI and Lisbon sit above the global median – Hilo, HI by 108%, Lisbon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.57 $19.57

$17.59 €15.31

11.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$62.9 €54.7

25.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 $11.22

$11.58 €10.08

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$3.10 €2.70

84.19%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$2.49 €2.17

-0.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.74 €1.52

25.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 $6.60

$3.48 €3.03

89.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.44 €3.00

97.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.15 €1.00

51.30%

White Bread (500g)

$9.79 $9.79

$1.91 €1.66

412.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$1.50 €1.31

260.00%

Eggs

$6.73 $6.73

$3.98 €3.47

69.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.72 $19.72

$13.29 €11.57

48.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$22.55 $22.55

$8.01 €6.97

181.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.92 $25.92

$18.04 €15.70

43.68%

Apples (1kg)

$8.23 $8.23

$2.35 €2.05

250.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.75 €1.52

42.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$1.85 €1.61

378.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$2.55 €2.22

330.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

Onion (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$2.10 €1.83

316.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.49 €1.29

215.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$0.82 €0.71

274.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$7.10 €6.18

68.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$5.91 €5.14

157.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.31 €1.14

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 $4.21

$4.08 €3.55

3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.14 €0.99

2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.31 €2.01

-41.99%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$34.1K €29.7K

-14.77%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$41.4K €36.0K

-38.87%

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

$365 $365

$169 €147

116.29%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$19.33 €16.82

260.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$33.51 €29.17

106.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 $51.1

$48.84 €42.50

4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.91

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 $12.82

$9.57 €8.33

33.96%

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

$696 €606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.85 $24.85

$105 €91.6

-76.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.41 $30.41

$47.75 €41.56

-36.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 $67.6

$101 €87.5

-32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 $76.8

$124 €108

-38.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 $1,925

$1,662 €1,446

15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 $1,208

$1,246 €1,085

-3.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$2,965 €2,580

-24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$2,049 €1,783

-20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,387 $5,387

$7,834 €6,818

-31.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,319 $5,319

$4,464 €3,885

19.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,433 $4,433

$1,632 €1,420

171.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

3.78

61.38%

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

Last update for Hilo, HI: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,925 in Hilo, HI versus $1,662 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 172% higher in Hilo, HI, 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 $79.0 in Hilo, HI versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 vs $277 – 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

Hilo, HI vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hilo, HI costs about 24% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,273 per month in Hilo, HI and $3,444 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,849 in Hilo, HI and $2,296 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 143% more in Hilo, HI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,849 in Hilo, HI and $2,296 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,296 versus $2,849 in Hilo, HI. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Hilo, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.