Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Athens, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, OH: $1,669 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Athens, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$1,669
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Athens, OH

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Athens, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,669 in Athens, OH.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Athens, OH $1,669

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $2,495 in Athens, OH.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Athens, OH $2,495

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,320 in Athens, OH.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Athens, OH $3,320

Living in Lisbon is roughly 32% more expensive than in Athens, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Athens, OH 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$14.74 $14.74
15.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$49.20 $49.20
26.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$10.18 $10.18
8.25%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.98 $4.98
-37.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.25 $2.25
0.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.41 $1.41
23.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$4.93 $4.93
-30.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$7.03 $7.03
-46.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.69 $0.69
69.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.06 $2.06
-9.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$3.01 $3.01
-48.84%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$4.25 $4.25
-4.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$12.64 $12.64
2.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$8.63 $8.63
-8.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$16.20 $16.20
8.89%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.60 $3.60
-37.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$0.96 $0.96
82.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.79 $2.79
-32.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.96 $2.96
-13.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.69 $1.69
9.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.18 $2.18
-9.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.66 $1.66
-12.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$1.92 $1.92
-59.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$9.09 $9.09
-26.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$14.83 $14.83
-61.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.14 $2.14
-35.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$3.10 $3.10
-31.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.02 $1.02
127.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$3.86 $3.86
2.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.27 $1.27
-17.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$25.15 $25.15
-31.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.87 $0.87
151.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$36.3K $36.3K
-6.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$26.1K $26.1K
46.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$150 $150
9.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$29.86 $29.86
-38.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$48.41 $48.41
-31.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$11.85 $11.85
-17.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$1,476 $1,476
-53.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$19.5K $19.5K
-9.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$46.08 $46.08
125.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$45.56 $45.56
1.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$65.4 $65.4
52.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$108 $108
15.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$1,313 $1,313
21.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$701 $701
66.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,471 $1,471
93.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$1,216 $1,216
63.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$1,644 $1,644
374.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$1,650 $1,650
167.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Athens, OH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$3,377 $3,377
-52.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.59
-41.58%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Athens, OH: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Athens, OH
$701 40.1% $469
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Athens, OH
$322 17.8% $49
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Athens, OH
$262 5.7% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Athens, OH
$228 5.9% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Athens, OH
$119 29.2% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Athens, OH
$24 * 63.7% $42
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Athens, OH
$14 * 77.3% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $1,313 in Athens, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens, OH pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $49.00 in Athens, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $322, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Athens, OH
🕒 Local time
11:49 11:49 AM
06:49 6:49 AM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
115,452
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Athens, OH 6,120 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Athens, OH

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lisbon vs Athens, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Athens, OH cheaper than Lisbon?
Athens, OH is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Athens, OH?
On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Athens, OH. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Athens, OH?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $1,313 in Athens, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Athens, OH?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Athens, OH?
All in, you'll spend $2,202 per month in Lisbon versus $1,669 in Athens, OH – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Athens, OH?
At $1,669 in Athens, OH versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Athens, OH but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Athens, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Athens, OH more family-friendly?
For families, Athens, OH is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Athens, OH?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Athens, OH are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Athens, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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