Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bellingham, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bellingham, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,243 per month in Lisbon vs $2,794 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $4,183 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Lisbon vs $5,572 in Bellingham, WA, rent included.

Lisbon is about 20% cheaper than Bellingham, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Bellingham, WA sit above the global median – Lisbon by 67%, Bellingham, WA by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$20.12 $20.12

-21.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$86.5 $86.5

-27.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$13.16 $13.16

-21.58%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$5.20 $5.20

-45.96%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$2.53 $2.53

-7.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.01 $2.01

-24.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$7.01 $7.01

-51.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$5.88 $5.88

-33.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.00 $1.00

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$3.66 $3.66

-52.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$4.23 $4.23

-58.63%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$4.34 $4.34

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$17.09 $17.09

-22.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$15.77 $15.77

-50.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$15.20 $15.20

5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$5.79 $5.79

-58.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.56 $1.56

10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$4.27 $4.27

-53.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$5.22 $5.22

-51.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.93 $2.93

-38.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.19 $2.19

-10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$2.09 $2.09

-6.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$2.53 $2.53

-66.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$12.44 $12.44

-45.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$15.27 $15.27

-61.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.76 $1.76

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$4.79 $4.79

-39.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$0.98 $0.98

133.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$30.34 $30.34

54.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$9.90 $9.90

-58.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.72 $1.72

-52.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$53.1 $53.1

-64.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.16 $1.16

80.17%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$34.4K $34.4K

2.14%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

52.85%

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

$150 €128

$180 $180

-16.80%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$52.3 $52.3

-60.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$74.8 $74.8

-47.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$68.1 $68.1

-27.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$18.35 $18.35

-49.86%

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

$624 €533

$1,445 $1,445

-56.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$23.8K $23.8K

-33.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$52.2 $52.2

95.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$27.95 $27.95

46.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$96.7 $96.7

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$149 $149

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$1,697 $1,697

-2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$1,441 $1,441

-14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$2,732 $2,732

11.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$2,448 $2,448

-15.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$3,994 $3,994

97.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$4,075 $4,075

5.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$4,156 $4,156

-62.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.61

-42.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bellingham, WA: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Lisbon versus $1,697 in Bellingham, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 165% higher in Bellingham, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Lisbon versus $87 in Bellingham, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $439 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bellingham, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellingham, WA costs about 25% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,365 per month in Lisbon and $4,191 in Bellingham, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $624 per month in Lisbon and $1,445 in Bellingham, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Bellingham, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,243 in Lisbon and $2,794 in Bellingham, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,243 versus $2,794 in Bellingham, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bellingham, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.