Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Charlotte, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,687 in Charlotte, NC, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
Learn more

Lisbon Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Charlotte, NC
Learn more

Charlotte, NC Living Index

Jump to prices

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,210

/mo nomad

Charlotte, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,687

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Charlotte, NC

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 Charlotte, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,687 in Charlotte, NC, rent included.

Lisbon $2,210
Charlotte, NC $2,687

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $4,002 in Charlotte, NC, rent included.

Lisbon $3,275
Charlotte, NC $4,002

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $5,317 in Charlotte, NC, rent included.

Lisbon $4,341
Charlotte, NC $5,317

Lisbon is about 18% cheaper than Charlotte, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lisbon and Charlotte, NC sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Charlotte, NC by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 €14.91

$17.95 $17.95

-7.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 €55.3

$74.0 $74.0

-16.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €10.17

$11.21 $11.21

1.34%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.66

$5.68 $5.68

-47.71%

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

$2.29 €2.05

$2.59 $2.59

-11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.56

$2.25 $2.25

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €3.05

$6.02 $6.02

-43.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.96

$7.39 $7.39

-55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.04

$0.96 $0.96

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.71

$4.06 $4.06

-52.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 €1.35

$3.33 $3.33

-54.65%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.60

$4.42 $4.42

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 €11.59

$16.42 $16.42

-21.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 €6.96

$15.66 $15.66

-50.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 €15.91

$18.21 $18.21

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.06

$5.47 $5.47

-57.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.55

$1.42 $1.42

21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

$4.70 $4.70

-60.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.32

$4.68 $4.68

-44.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.63

$3.69 $3.69

-50.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.76

$3.08 $3.08

-36.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.32

$2.00 $2.00

-26.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.65

$2.34 $2.34

-69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.90

$8.52 $8.52

-22.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €5.02

$15.66 $15.66

-64.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.22

$2.43 $2.43

-44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.91

$3.69 $3.69

-42.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.09

$2.25 $2.25

3.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.68 €40.01

$87.8 $87.8

-49.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 €3.45

$3.03 $3.03

27.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.96

$1.84 $1.84

-41.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 €14.74

$29.47 $29.47

-44.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.97

$0.98 $0.98

124.49%

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

$34.2K €30.6K

$34.7K $34.7K

-1.34%

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

$38.7K €34.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

53.64%

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

$161 €144

$176 $176

-8.41%

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

$18.41 €16.49

$68.9 $68.9

-73.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.74 €29.32

$82.3 $82.3

-60.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €39.90

$51.6 $51.6

-13.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 €17.10

$15.03 $15.03

27.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.60

$16.14 $16.14

-40.52%

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

$668 €598

$1,475 $1,475

-54.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.8K

$24.3K $24.3K

-27.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €91.4

$50.2 $50.2

103.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 €39.82

$36.83 $36.83

20.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €88.2

$94.4 $94.4

4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

$141 $141

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 €1,440

$1,872 $1,872

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,066

$1,266 $1,266

-6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 €2,519

$3,296 $3,296

-14.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,803

$2,176 $2,176

-7.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 €7,021

$4,123 $4,123

90.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,576 €4,098

$2,400 $2,400

90.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 €1,411

$4,367 $4,367

-63.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

6.48

-40.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Charlotte, NC: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8%

Charlotte, NC

$1.3K 47.1% 6.4% $76

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$272 12.3%

Charlotte, NC

$446 16.6% 63.7% $173

Eating Out

Lisbon

$243 11%

Charlotte, NC

$310 11.5% 27.6% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$212 9.6%

Charlotte, NC

$327 12.2% 54.1% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Charlotte, NC

$145 5.4% 12.6% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$64 2.9%

Charlotte, NC

$84 3.1% 31.6% $20

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Charlotte, NC

$109 4.1% 72.5% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,872 in Charlotte, NC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Charlotte, NC are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $74 in Charlotte, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $446 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇺🇸 Charlotte, NC

🕒 Local time

17:33 5:33 PM

12:33 12:33 PM

5 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

911,311

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lisbon Charlotte, NC 6,200 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
Charlotte, NC

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 Charlotte, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Charlotte, NC is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $4,030 in Charlotte, NC. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,608 there versus $1,872 in Charlotte, NC.

Kindergarten costs $668 per month in Lisbon and $1,475 in Charlotte, NC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Charlotte, NC, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,687 in Charlotte, NC, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Charlotte, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.