Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Carlisle Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Carlisle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,311 in Carlisle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $3,115 in Carlisle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,918 in Carlisle.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Carlisle, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Carlisle 72% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91 €13.70
$19.14 £14.26
-16.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8 €55.8
$88.6 £66.0
-26.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 €9.05
$9.32 £6.94
12.77%
Cappuccino
$2.87 €2.47
$4.06 £3.02
-29.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €1.93
$2.12 £1.58
5.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 €1.29
$1.86 £1.39
-19.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.49 €3.01
$5.35 £3.99
-34.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 €3.34
$5.41 £4.03
-28.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 €0.98
$1.53 £1.14
-25.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 €1.51
$1.69 £1.26
3.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 €1.51
$2.17 £1.62
-18.89%
Eggs
$3.22 €2.77
$4.30 £3.20
-25.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.49 €11.61
$8.13 £6.06
65.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.91 €6.81
$9.68 £7.21
-18.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.87 €13.67
$16.43 £12.24
-3.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €1.99
$3.17 £2.36
-27.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.53 £1.14
11.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 €1.73
$2.66 £1.98
-24.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 €2.12
$2.93 £2.18
-16.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.59
$1.78 £1.33
3.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.72
$1.43 £1.07
39.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 €1.66
$1.17 £0.87
64.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 €0.68
$1.31 £0.97
-39.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61 €5.69
$20.65 £15.39
-67.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.93
$8.20 £6.11
-30.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.18
$2.60 £1.94
-47.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.56
$3.26 £2.43
-8.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.37 €2.04
$2.96 £2.21
-19.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.56 €39.22
$76.1 £56.7
-40.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.29 €3.69
$4.14 £3.08
3.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 €0.70
$1.67 £1.24
-50.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.30 €15.76
$42.32 £31.53
-56.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.78
$1.87 £1.39
10.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K €29.5K
$39.0K £29.0K
-12.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €33.8K
$38.5K £28.6K
2.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 €127
$308 £230
-52.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.52 €17.67
$17.14 £12.77
19.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.61 €34.10
$37.89 £28.23
4.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.85 €41.19
$47.57 £35.44
0.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92 €16.29
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.18 €7.91
$8.07 £6.01
13.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$614 €529
$1,928 £1,436
-68.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K €13.8K
$23.8K £17.7K
-32.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 €90.1
$81.0 £60.3
29.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 €36.21
$54.6 £40.65
-22.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 €80.9
$107 £79.5
-11.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €103
$125 £93.1
-4.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 €1,401
$811 £604
100.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,255 €1,081
$1,003 £748
25.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,030 €2,609
$2,031 £1,513
49.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,020 €1,739
$1,174 £875
72.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,800 €6,715
$2,543 £1,894
206.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,273 €3,678
$2,941 £2,191
45.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Carlisle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,603 €1,380
$2,841 £2,117
-43.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
5.63
-32.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Carlisle: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $811 in Carlisle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlisle pays 77% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $89.0 in Carlisle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $295 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 Carlisle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Carlisle?
Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Carlisle. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or Carlisle?
On paper, Carlisle earns 77% less. 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 vs Carlisle?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $811 in Carlisle. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon vs Carlisle?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $89.0 in Carlisle. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Carlisle?
All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $2,311 in Carlisle – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Lisbon or Carlisle?
At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,311 in Carlisle, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Carlisle. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Carlisle?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Carlisle?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Carlisle are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Carlisle. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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