Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Barnstable, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Barnstable, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,354 in Barnstable, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $3,517 in Barnstable, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $4,680 in Barnstable, MA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 2% less than in Barnstable, MA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Barnstable, MA 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$18.04 $18.04

-4.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$75.8 $75.8

-16.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$10.03 $10.03

13.56%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$3.94 $3.94

-19.04%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.20 $2.20

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.65 $1.65

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$4.95 $4.95

-27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$6.94 $6.94

-51.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.09 $1.09

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.94 $2.94

-32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$4.22 $4.22

-63.98%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$4.17 $4.17

-3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$6.41 $6.41

111.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$8.61 $8.61

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$8.79 $8.79

107.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$4.11 $4.11

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.71 $1.71

1.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$4.51 $4.51

-58.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.54 $3.54

-25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.15 $2.15

-10.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.13 $2.13

-1.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.98 $1.98

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$2.51 $2.51

-66.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$12.47 $12.47

-45.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$13.10 $13.10

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.15 $2.15

-35.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$4.07 $4.07

-45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.04 $2.04

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$35.13 $35.13

33.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$3.51 $3.51

18.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.56 $3.56

-67.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$26.33 $26.33

-32.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.95 $0.95

144.21%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$37.3K $37.3K

-5.25%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

75.68%

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

$170 €147

$98.1 $98.1

73.58%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$59.1 $59.1

-67.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$64.8 $64.8

-48.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$41.02 $41.02

17.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$23.54 $23.54

-15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$13.81 $13.81

-28.17%

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

$717 €617

$1,827 $1,827

-60.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$30.5K $30.5K

-42.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$56.3 $56.3

85.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$37.67 $37.67

24.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$81.2 $81.2

27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$99.5 $99.5

24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$1,590 $1,590

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$1,269 $1,269

0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$2,489 $2,489

19.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$2,148 $2,148

-7.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$2,720 $2,720

187.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$2,405 $2,405

93.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$4,709 $4,709

-66.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.04

-37.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,590 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 197% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $76.0 in Barnstable, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $323 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

Lisbon vs Barnstable, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Barnstable, MA differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $2,354 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 197% lower in Barnstable, MA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $1,590 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 33% less than in Barnstable, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $1,827 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,354 in Barnstable, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Barnstable, MA 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 2% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.