Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Birmingham Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Birmingham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $2,377 in Birmingham, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $3,426 in Birmingham, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $4,474 in Birmingham, rent included.

Lisbon is about 6% cheaper than Birmingham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Birmingham sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Birmingham by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$20.33 £15.06

-20.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$80.4 £59.5

-19.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.26 £6.86

12.10%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.67 £3.46

-40.69%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.35 £1.74

-4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.77 £1.31

-11.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$6.76 £5.01

-48.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$6.27 £4.65

-36.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.67 £1.24

-35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.66 £1.23

4.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.66 £1.97

-34.59%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.63 £2.69

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$10.43 £7.73

28.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$8.25 £6.11

-3.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.80 £10.23

16.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.61 £1.94

-12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.81 £1.34

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.96 £1.46

-1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.73 £2.03

-6.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.64 £1.21

11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.42 £1.05

43.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.46 £1.08

35.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.35 £1.00

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$18.73 £13.88

-63.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.71 £8.68

-50.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$3.47 £2.57

-60.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$4.23 £3.14

-31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.30 £2.44

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$82.8 £61.4

-43.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$6.68 £4.95

-38.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.38 £1.02

-40.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$22.60 £16.74

-19.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.98 £1.47

1.52%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$37.7K £28.0K

-6.54%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$40.3K £29.9K

-4.50%

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

$145 €124

$299 £221

-51.30%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$24.19 £17.93

-13.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$38.88 £28.81

3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$32.74 £24.26

49.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$10.25 £7.59

82.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$18.00 £13.34

-49.67%

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

$607 €519

$1,612 £1,194

-62.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$19.5K £14.5K

-16.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$97.4 £72.2

7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$49.18 £36.45

-16.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$119 £88.1

-21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$143 £106

-16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,317 £976

21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$1,075 £796

14.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,288 £1,695

33.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,618 £1,199

27.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$5,405 £4,005

42.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$4,241 £3,142

0.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$3,726 £2,761

-57.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.76

-33.85%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Birmingham: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,317 in Birmingham. 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 135% higher in Birmingham, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $80.0 in Birmingham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $297 – 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 Birmingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon, $2,377 in Birmingham – roughly 7% apart. Birmingham costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $3,565 in Birmingham. 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 $607 per month in Lisbon and $1,612 in Birmingham. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Birmingham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,227, than in Birmingham at $2,377. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Birmingham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,227 in Lisbon to $2,377 in Birmingham. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Birmingham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.