Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,218 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,397 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,576 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Ithaca, NY and Lisbon have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ithaca, NY and Lisbon sit above the global median – Ithaca, NY by 66%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$15.91 €13.70

26.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$64.8 €55.8

6.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$10.51 €9.05

4.38%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$2.87 €2.47

74.56%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$2.24 €1.93

26.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.50 €1.30

25.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.49 €3.01

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.88 €3.34

55.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.14 €0.98

-13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.75 €1.51

123.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$1.76 €1.51

218.18%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$3.22 €2.77

27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.49 €11.62

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$7.91 €6.81

-16.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$15.87 €13.67

-5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.31 €1.99

97.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.70 €1.46

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.01 €1.73

127.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.46 €2.12

103.66%

Potato (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$1.84 €1.59

282.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.00 €1.72

77.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.93 €1.66

49.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.79 €0.68

124.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.86 $8.86

$6.61 €5.69

34.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 $13.79

$5.72 €4.93

141.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.37 €1.18

35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.97 €2.56

36.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.37 €2.04

-37.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 $45.56

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$4.29 €3.69

13.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.82 €0.70

65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 $26.98

$18.30 €15.76

47.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.06 €1.78

-56.31%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$34.3K €29.5K

-13.17%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$39.3K €33.8K

-33.63%

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

$137 $137

$148 €127

-7.45%

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

$47.48 $47.48

$20.52 €17.67

131.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$39.61 €34.11

66.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.94 $42.94

$47.85 €41.20

-10.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 $10.94

$9.18 €7.91

19.17%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$614 €529

153.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

76.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 $43.80

$105 €90.1

-58.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 $39.88

$42.06 €36.22

-5.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$94.0 €80.9

-16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$120 €103

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 $1,647

$1,628 €1,402

1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 $1,059

$1,255 €1,081

-15.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$3,030 €2,609

-13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$2,020 €1,740

-7.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,182 $2,182

$7,800 €6,716

-72.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 $2,137

$4,273 €3,679

-49.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,366 $3,366

$1,603 €1,381

109.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

3.81

64.83%

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

Last update for Ithaca, NY: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,647 in Ithaca, NY versus $1,628 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 110% higher in Ithaca, NY. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ithaca, NY versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $269 – 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

Ithaca, NY vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,327 per month in Ithaca, NY and $3,315 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ithaca, NY and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,218 in Ithaca, NY and $2,210 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 $2,210 in Lisbon to $2,218 in Ithaca, NY. 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, Ithaca, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.