Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Auburn, AL

For one person, living is cheaper in Auburn, AL: $2,013 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Auburn, AL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,013
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Auburn, AL

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,013 in Auburn, AL.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Auburn, AL $2,013

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $2,941 in Auburn, AL.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Auburn, AL $2,941

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,870 in Auburn, AL.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Auburn, AL $3,870

Living in Lisbon is roughly 9% more expensive than in Auburn, AL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Auburn, AL 49% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$13.18 $13.18
29.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$47.90 $47.90
30.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$10.60 $10.60
3.96%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$5.11 $5.11
-38.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.44 $2.44
-6.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.72 $1.72
1.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$4.97 $4.97
-31.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$6.12 $6.12
-38.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.09 $1.09
7.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.64 $3.64
-48.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$5.53 $5.53
-72.15%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$4.28 $4.28
-5.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$11.81 $11.81
9.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$6.21 $6.21
27.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$10.76 $10.76
63.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$4.99 $4.99
-54.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.19 $1.19
47.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.48 $2.48
-23.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.86 $2.86
-10.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.85 $1.85
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.20 $2.20
-10.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$2.00 $2.00
-27.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$1.85 $1.85
-58.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$6.67 $6.67
0.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$12.42 $12.42
-54.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.68 $1.68
-18.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$5.11 $5.11
-58.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$0.78 $0.78
180.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$35.5K $35.5K
7.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$207 $207
-21.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$54.6 $54.6
-66.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$64.1 $64.1
-48.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$64.5 $64.5
-28.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$15.19 $15.19
-35.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$49.99 $49.99
107.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$48.26 $48.26
-4.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$67.9 $67.9
46.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$65.5 $65.5
90.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$1,288 $1,288
23.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$910 $910
28.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$2,090 $2,090
36.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$1,592 $1,592
25.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$2,054 $2,054
279.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$2,059 $2,059
114.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Auburn, AL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$4,356 $4,356
-63.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.39
-39.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Auburn, AL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Auburn, AL
$910 22.1% $259
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Auburn, AL
$325 19.1% $52
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Auburn, AL
$252 1.9% $4.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Auburn, AL
$326 51.5% $111
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Auburn, AL
$104 38.1% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Auburn, AL
$95 45.2% $30
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Auburn, AL
- * 100%

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 $1,288 in Auburn, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auburn, AL pays 172% 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 $48.00 in Auburn, AL. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $325, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Auburn, AL
🕒 Local time
15:22 3:22 PM
09:22 9:22 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
76,143
💱 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 Auburn, AL 6,730 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Auburn, AL

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 Auburn, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Auburn, AL?
Lisbon and Auburn, AL differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $2,013 including rent). Auburn, AL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 172% lower in Auburn, AL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Auburn, AL?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $1,288 in Auburn, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Auburn, AL – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Auburn, AL?
All in, you'll spend $2,202 per month in Lisbon versus $2,013 in Auburn, AL – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,013 in Auburn, AL versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Auburn, AL but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Auburn, AL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Auburn, AL?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Auburn, AL safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Auburn, AL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Auburn, AL?
Expats usually find Auburn, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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