Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,202

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,518

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Boulder, CO

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

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Lisbon $2,202
Boulder, CO $3,518

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $5,103 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Lisbon $3,274
Boulder, CO $5,103

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $6,689 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Lisbon $4,346
Boulder, CO $6,689

Lisbon is about 37% cheaper than Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lisbon and Boulder, CO sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Boulder, CO by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 €15.15

$19.81 $19.81

-13.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 €55.4

$79.3 $79.3

-21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 €9.80

$15.07 $15.07

-26.87%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.78

$5.56 $5.56

-43.88%

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

$2.27 €2.02

$3.70 $3.70

-38.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.55

$2.88 $2.88

-39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €3.04

$7.09 $7.09

-51.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.33

$8.84 $8.84

-57.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.04

$1.18 $1.18

-0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.66

$5.55 $5.55

-66.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 €1.37

$6.50 $6.50

-76.31%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.61

$5.53 $5.53

-26.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 €11.49

$11.85 $11.85

8.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 €7.03

$10.91 $10.91

-27.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 €15.69

$17.35 $17.35

1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €2.01

$5.93 $5.93

-61.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.55

$1.46 $1.46

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.68

$6.35 $6.35

-70.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.27

$6.09 $6.09

-57.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.64

$3.92 $3.92

-52.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.75

$3.84 $3.84

-48.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.29

$3.35 $3.35

-56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.69

$2.65 $2.65

-70.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 €5.97

$10.24 $10.24

-34.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €5.04

$17.23 $17.23

-67.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.22

$1.86 $1.86

-26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.88

$4.94 $4.94

-57.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.07

$2.82 $2.82

-17.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 €39.52

$152 $152

-70.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 €3.51

$2.43 $2.43

62.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.93

$1.38 $1.38

-23.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 €15.26

$24.21 $24.21

-29.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.95

$1.08 $1.08

102.78%

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

$33.8K €30.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

22.96%

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

$38.3K €34.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

42.29%

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

$164 €146

$279 $279

-41.29%

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

$18.48 €16.43

$72.1 $72.1

-74.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.96 €29.32

$74.2 $74.2

-55.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.87 €40.80

$83.1 $83.1

-44.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.61

$20.21 $20.21

-7.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 €8.67

$16.72 $16.72

-41.69%

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

$684 €608

$1,633 $1,633

-58.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.7K

$31.2K $31.2K

-43.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €92.3

$69.2 $69.2

49.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.20 €41.09

$48.21 $48.21

-4.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 €88.7

$92.2 $92.2

8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €111

$144 $144

-13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 €1,414

$2,374 $2,374

-33.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 €1,040

$1,825 $1,825

-35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 €2,536

$4,307 $4,307

-33.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,773

$3,069 $3,069

-35.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,793 €6,932

$4,420 $4,420

76.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 €3,930

$4,495 $4,495

-1.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 €1,423

$5,629 $5,629

-71.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

6.55

-41.22%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.1%

Boulder, CO

$1.8K 51.9% 56.1% $655

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$273 12.4%

Boulder, CO

$470 13.4% 72.2% $197

Eating Out

Lisbon

$247 11.2%

Boulder, CO

$350 10% 41.4% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$215 9.8%

Boulder, CO

$425 12.1% 97.6% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$168 7.7%

Boulder, CO

$159 4.5% 5.7% $9.5

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$65 3%

Boulder, CO

$117 3.3% 78.3% $51

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Boulder, CO

$173 4.9% 174% $110

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $2,374 in Boulder, CO. 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 252% higher in Boulder, CO, 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $79.0 in Boulder, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $470 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

03:14 3:14 AM

20:14 8:14 PM

7 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

106,803

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Lisbon Boulder, CO 7,830 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Boulder, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $5,277 in Boulder, CO. 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.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon and $79.0 in Boulder, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Boulder, CO at $3,518. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boulder, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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