Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bowling Green, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Bowling Green, KY: $1,945 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Bowling Green, KY, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Bowling Green, KY
🇺🇸 United States
$1,945
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Bowling Green, KY

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 Bowling Green, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,945 in Bowling Green, KY.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Bowling Green, KY $1,945

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,878 in Bowling Green, KY.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Bowling Green, KY $2,878

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,811 in Bowling Green, KY.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Bowling Green, KY $3,811

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bowling Green, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Bowling Green, KY 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$13.26 $13.26
25.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$55.2 $55.2
11.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$9.15 $9.15
24.15%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$4.87 $4.87
-39.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.48 $2.48
-7.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.06 $2.06
-15.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$3.90 $3.90
-12.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$5.13 $5.13
-35.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.79 $0.79
46.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$2.22 $2.22
-13.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.20 $2.20
-31.36%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.64 $2.64
52.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$10.06 $10.06
28.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$10.25 $10.25
-24.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$12.63 $12.63
40.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$4.72 $4.72
-51.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.20 $1.20
44.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.62 $2.62
-29.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.69 $3.69
-29.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.71 $1.71
6.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.45 $2.45
-19.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.81 $1.81
-18.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.26 $1.26
-42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$9.18 $9.18
-28.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$12.79 $12.79
-56.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.66 $1.66
-18.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.54 $1.54
38.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.03 $2.03
14.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$39.72 $39.72
12.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$7.48 $7.48
-48.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.58 $1.58
-32.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$24.80 $24.80
-33.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.94 $0.94
134.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$27.6K $27.6K
23.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$26.1K $26.1K
48.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$149 $149
8.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$45.05 $45.05
-59.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$68.8 $68.8
-52.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$25.39 $25.39
75.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$11.96 $11.96
59.70%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$14.98 $14.98
-35.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$2,283 $2,283
-70.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$25.3K $25.3K
-30.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$51.6 $51.6
97.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$31.20 $31.20
42.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$102 $102
-2.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$152 $152
-18.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$966 $966
66.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$875 $875
35.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,583 $1,583
77.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,472 $1,472
36.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$2,177 $2,177
260.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$1,820 $1,820
151.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Bowling Green, KY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$3,057 $3,057
-48.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.66
-42.19%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bowling Green, KY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Bowling Green, KY
$875 26.5% $315
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Bowling Green, KY
$298 9.3% $25
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Bowling Green, KY
$240 1.1% $2.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Bowling Green, KY
$263 23.7% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Bowling Green, KY
$151 8.8% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Bowling Green, KY
$55 13.2% $8.4
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Bowling Green, KY
$63 0% $0

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $966 in Bowling Green, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bowling Green, KY pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $55 in Bowling Green, KY. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $298, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Bowling Green, KY
🕒 Local time
08:54 8:54 AM
02:54 2:54 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
53,176
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Bowling Green, KY 6,570 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Bowling Green, KY

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 Bowling Green, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Bowling Green, KY?
Bowling Green, KY wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bowling Green, KY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Bowling Green, KY?
On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Bowling Green, KY?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $966 in Bowling Green, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Bowling Green, KY?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Bowling Green, KY?
Dining out is cheaper in Bowling Green, KY – a meal for two runs $55 versus $62 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Bowling Green, KY?
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.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?