Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipswich and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ipswich and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,119 per month in Ipswich vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,036 per month in Ipswich vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,952 per month in Ipswich vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Ipswich is about 5% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ipswich and Lisbon sit above the global median – Ipswich by 58%, Lisbon by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.28 A$22.79

$16.17 €13.84

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 A$110

$64.6 €55.3

21.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 A$13.71

$10.38 €8.88

-5.68%

Cappuccino

$3.40 A$4.75

$2.77 €2.37

22.74%

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

$2.50 A$3.50

$2.25 €1.92

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.98

$1.57 €1.35

35.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 A$9.01

$3.49 €2.99

84.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 A$10.26

$4.00 €3.43

83.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.08 €0.93

34.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.27

$1.74 €1.49

33.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.83

$1.74 €1.49

16.09%

Eggs

$4.43 A$6.20

$3.18 €2.72

39.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 A$11.71

$13.43 €11.50

-37.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 A$11.74

$7.99 €6.84

5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 A$19.00

$16.09 €13.77

-15.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.66

$2.28 €1.95

46.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.85

$1.72 €1.48

59.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.21

$1.94 €1.66

55.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 A$5.66

$2.54 €2.18

59.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.48

$1.83 €1.57

36.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 A$3.01

$2.04 €1.75

5.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.01

$1.98 €1.69

8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.15

$0.85 €0.73

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$40.12 A$56.2

$6.85 €5.87

485.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.51 A$31.52

$5.78 €4.94

289.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.50 A$6.30

$1.37 €1.18

228.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 A$7.61

$2.90 €2.48

87.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.67

$2.28 €1.95

14.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 A$90.1

$46.84 €40.10

37.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 A$2.90

$4.08 €3.49

-49.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.93

$0.82 €0.70

68.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.53 A$46.94

$18.27 €15.64

83.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.67

$2.01 €1.72

-40.80%

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

$29.1K A$40.8K

$35.3K €30.2K

-17.41%

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

$22.5K A$31.5K

$38.5K €32.9K

-41.57%

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

$186 A$261

$145 €124

28.24%

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

$29.28 A$41.00

$20.96 €17.94

39.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$73.8

$40.05 €34.29

31.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.11 A$67.4

$48.79 €41.76

-1.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 A$21.70

$18.69 €16.00

-17.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 A$18.30

$9.06 €7.76

44.26%

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

$1,608 A$2,251

$607 €519

165.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$16.8K

$16.3K €14.0K

-26.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 A$96.7

$105 €89.6

-33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.6

$40.95 €35.06

23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$141

$93.6 €80.1

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$149

$119 €101

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 A$1,358

$1,604 €1,373

-39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 A$1,344

$1,236 €1,058

-22.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 A$1,829

$3,046 €2,607

-57.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 A$1,826

$2,057 €1,761

-36.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,096 A$8,534

$7,709 €6,599

-20.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,383 A$7,537

$4,266 €3,652

26.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,346 A$6,085

$1,584 €1,356

174.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

57.48%

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

Last update for Ipswich: April 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Ipswich versus $1,604 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 174% higher in Ipswich, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Ipswich versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $271 – 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

Ipswich vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,179 per month in Ipswich and $3,341 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ipswich, 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 $2,119 in Ipswich and $2,227 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Ipswich. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ipswich, where all-in costs run around $2,119, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Ipswich it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ipswich – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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