Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bristol, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bristol, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,137 in Bristol, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,076 in Bristol, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,015 in Bristol, VA.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 3% more expensive than Bristol, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Bristol, VA 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$18.09 $18.09

-12.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$76.2 $76.2

-14.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$10.14 $10.14

3.65%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.98 $4.98

-42.37%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.29 $2.29

-2.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.73 $1.73

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$4.89 $4.89

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$7.18 $7.18

-45.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.01 $1.01

12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$3.26 $3.26

-46.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$4.04 $4.04

-56.44%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.43 $4.43

-27.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$16.82 $16.82

-19.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$16.98 $16.98

-53.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$17.22 $17.22

-7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$5.78 $5.78

-60.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.31 $1.31

29.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$6.58 $6.58

-69.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.87 $3.87

-36.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$3.72 $3.72

-50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.80 $2.80

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.81 $1.81

6.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.86 $1.86

-57.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$7.85 $7.85

-15.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$15.26 $15.26

-62.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.13 $2.13

-35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.29 $3.29

-9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.97 $1.97

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.04 $3.04

41.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.26 $2.26

-63.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$29.96 $29.96

-38.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.85 $0.85

142.35%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-0.69%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$23.5K $23.5K

67.02%

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

$148 €127

$138 $138

7.22%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$54.2 $54.2

-62.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$69.9 $69.9

-43.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$43.68 $43.68

9.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$13.81 $13.81

-33.53%

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

$614 €528

$1,314 $1,314

-53.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$24.7K $24.7K

-34.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$49.23 $49.23

112.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$36.28 $36.28

15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$44.48 $44.48

111.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$90.9 $90.9

31.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$997 $997

63.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$911 $911

37.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,644 $1,644

84.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,264 $1,264

59.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,825 $1,825

327.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,791 $1,791

138.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$2,970 $2,970

-46.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.51

-41.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bristol, VA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $997 in Bristol, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol, VA pays 85% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $76.0 in Bristol, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $440 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 Bristol, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bristol, VA differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $2,137 including rent). Bristol, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bristol, VA earns 85% less. 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $997 in Bristol, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $1,314 in Bristol, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bristol, VA – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,137 in Bristol, VA versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bristol, VA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bristol, VA 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 Bristol, VA 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 Bristol, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.