Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,142 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,401 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,661 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

La Crosse, WI is about 4% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both La Crosse, WI and Lisbon sit above the global median – La Crosse, WI by 60%, Lisbon by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 $13.05

$16.17 €13.84

-19.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 $82.9

$64.6 €55.3

28.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$10.38 €8.88

15.90%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$2.77 €2.37

111.91%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$2.25 €1.92

37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.57 €1.35

43.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 $6.30

$3.49 €2.99

80.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$4.00 €3.43

74.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.08 €0.93

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.74 €1.49

24.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$1.74 €1.49

208.62%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$3.18 €2.72

27.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$13.43 €11.50

-58.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$7.99 €6.84

75.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$16.09 €13.77

10.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$2.28 €1.95

184.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.72 €1.48

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.94 €1.66

16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.54 €2.18

31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.83 €1.57

22.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.04 €1.75

82.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.98 €1.69

20.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.85 €0.73

138.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$6.85 €5.87

73.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 $15.50

$5.78 €4.94

168.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.37 €1.18

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.90 €2.48

-33.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.28 €1.95

-32.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.55 $34.55

$46.84 €40.10

-26.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.08 €3.49

14.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.82 €0.70

92.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$18.27 €15.64

32.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$2.01 €1.72

-59.20%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$35.3K €30.2K

-14.74%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$38.5K €32.9K

-37.61%

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

$162 $162

$145 €124

11.71%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$20.96 €17.94

145.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$40.05 €34.29

64.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 $40.32

$48.79 €41.76

-17.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.05 $4.05

$18.69 €16.00

-78.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$9.06 €7.76

32.78%

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

$1,633 $1,633

$607 €519

169.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.3K $26.3K

$16.3K €14.0K

61.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$105 €89.6

-39.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 $44.37

$40.95 €35.06

8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$93.6 €80.1

-8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$119 €101

-1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 $762

$1,604 €1,373

-52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$1,236 €1,058

-20.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 $2,163

$3,046 €2,607

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 $1,975

$2,057 €1,761

-3.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 $1,889

$7,709 €6,599

-75.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 $1,946

$4,266 €3,652

-54.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,518 $4,518

$1,584 €1,356

185.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

3.81

70.87%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $762 in La Crosse, WI 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 185% higher in La Crosse, WI, 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 $83.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 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

La Crosse, WI vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,142 in La Crosse, WI, $2,227 in Lisbon – roughly 4% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,212 per month in La Crosse, WI 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 La Crosse, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in La Crosse, WI and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in La Crosse, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,142, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In La Crosse, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,142 in La Crosse, WI to $2,227 in Lisbon. 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 La Crosse, WI. 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.