Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Athens, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens, TN: $2,116 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Athens, TN, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Athens, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,116
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,206 per month in Lisbon vs $2,116 in Athens, TN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Athens, TN $2,116

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Lisbon vs $3,286 in Athens, TN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Athens, TN $3,286

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $4,457 in Athens, TN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Athens, TN $4,457

Lisbon costs about 4% more than Athens, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lisbon and Athens, TN sit above the global median – Lisbon by 63%, Athens, TN by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €14.98
$30.07 $30.07
-43.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.2
$108 $108
-43.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.75
$11.95 $11.95
-8.12%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.71
$5.70 $5.70
-46.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.94 $2.94
-22.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.49
$2.26 $2.26
-25.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.05
$6.52 $6.52
-47.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.47
$7.90 $7.90
-50.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$0.94 $0.94
22.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.57 $2.57
-26.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.33
$3.93 $3.93
-61.83%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.66
$4.19 $4.19
-1.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.55
$13.83 $13.83
-5.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.15
$6.68 $6.68
20.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.89
$19.75 $19.75
-9.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$5.82 $5.82
-61.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.49 $1.49
16.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$5.61 $5.61
-67.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$5.17 $5.17
-47.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$3.54 $3.54
-50.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.72
$2.66 $2.66
-27.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$2.15 $2.15
-32.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$1.66 $1.66
-54.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.91
$6.83 $6.83
-2.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.01
$15.29 $15.29
-63.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$3.90 $3.90
-66.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.90
$4.87 $4.87
-56.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.04
$2.19 $2.19
5.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.10
$53.5 $53.5
-17.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$3.41 $3.41
16.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$1.53 $1.53
-58.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.81
$24.47 $24.47
-22.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.02
$0.94 $0.94
142.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.6K
$36.1K $36.1K
-7.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.2K
$26.3K $26.3K
46.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$221 $221
-28.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.58
$74.4 $74.4
-76.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.70
$55.7 $55.7
-44.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.66
$37.88 $37.88
17.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.86
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.51
$8.21 $8.21
16.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €598
$1,784 $1,784
-62.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.6K
$34.8K $34.8K
-46.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €90.8
$52.6 $52.6
94.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.77
$45.25 $45.25
1.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €90.8
$95.9 $95.9
6.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €108
$108 $108
13.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,457
$861 $861
90.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,055
$695 $695
70.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,509
$1,465 $1,465
92.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,793
$1,184 $1,184
70.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,960
$2,813 $2,813
178.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,176
$2,313 $2,313
103.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Athens, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,499
$8,189 $8,189
-79.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
6.67
-42.73%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Athens, TN: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Athens, TN
$695 41.4% $492
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Athens, TN
$392 43% $118
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Athens, TN
$414 68.8% $169
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Athens, TN
$351 69.5% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Athens, TN
$136 19% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Athens, TN
$54 14.9% $9.5
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Athens, TN
$73 21.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,641 in Lisbon versus $861 in Athens, TN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Athens, TN are about 4.9 times higher, 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 $61 in Lisbon versus $108 in Athens, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $392 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Athens, TN
🕒 Local time
15:08 3:08 PM
10:08 10:08 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 November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Athens, TN 6,510 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Athens, TN

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, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Athens, TN?
Lisbon costs about 4% more than Athens, TN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Athens, TN?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,309 per month in Lisbon and $3,174 in Athens, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Athens, TN?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Athens, TN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $861 there versus $1,641 in Lisbon.
How expensive is transport in Lisbon compared to Athens, TN?
Public transport costs about 18% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Lisbon and in Athens, TN?
Kindergarten costs $674 per month in Lisbon and $1,784 in Athens, TN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Athens, TN?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,206 in Lisbon and $2,116 in Athens, TN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Athens, TN?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,116 in Athens, TN to $2,206 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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