Cost of Living Comparison Between Lancaster, PA and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lancaster, PA and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,479 in Lancaster, PA versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,524 in Lancaster, PA versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,569 in Lancaster, PA versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Lancaster, PA is roughly 7% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lancaster, PA 80% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.96 $21.96

$17.30 €14.89

26.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$63.3 €54.4

2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$11.39 €9.80

-3.16%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$3.19 €2.75

63.32%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$2.45 €2.10

-1.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.76 €1.52

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.59 €3.09

71.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.39 €2.92

110.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.24 €1.06

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.98 €1.71

42.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$1.52 €1.31

255.92%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$4.04 €3.48

24.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$13.54 €11.65

7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$8.39 €7.22

7.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 $14.73

$18.25 €15.70

-19.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.29 €1.97

149.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.74 €1.50

-26.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.86 €1.60

153.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.63 €2.26

92.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.92 €1.65

16.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.09 €1.80

25.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.44 €1.24

59.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.84 €0.72

175.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.45 $10.45

$6.78 €5.83

54.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$5.71 €4.91

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.38 €1.18

85.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.22 €1.91

28.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.40 €2.06

-28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.76 $42.76

$46.78 €40.25

-8.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.17 €3.59

-5.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.14 €0.98

6.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.87 $24.87

$17.68 €15.21

40.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.32 €2.00

-59.91%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$35.3K €30.4K

-2.67%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$41.4K €35.7K

-38.31%

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

$164 $164

$170 €147

-3.89%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$19.34 €16.64

162.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 $63.2

$33.64 €28.95

87.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.16 $48.16

$48.10 €41.39

0.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.39 $44.39

$19.90 €17.12

123.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.81 $16.81

$9.92 €8.54

69.46%

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

$776 $776

$717 €617

8.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K $36.5K

$17.5K €15.0K

109.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$105 €90.2

-47.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.23 $49.23

$46.95 €40.40

4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 $94.4

$103 €89.0

-8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$124 €107

-14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$1,677 €1,443

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 $1,153

$1,271 €1,094

-9.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 $1,876

$2,985 €2,568

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,992 €1,715

-11.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,428 $2,428

$7,826 €6,734

-68.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 $2,489

$4,658 €4,008

-46.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,034 $4,034

$1,583 €1,362

154.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

3.79

61.48%

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

Last update for Lancaster, PA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,276 in Lancaster, PA and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lancaster, PA pays 155% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lancaster, PA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $283 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Lancaster, PA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 155% higher in Lancaster, PA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,276 in Lancaster, PA versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $65.0 in Lancaster, PA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,479 per month in Lancaster, PA versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,479 in Lancaster, PA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Lancaster, PA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lancaster, PA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lancaster, PA and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Lancaster, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.