Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Columbia, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbia, MO: $2,049 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Columbia, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,049
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Columbia, MO

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 Columbia, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,049 in Columbia, MO.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Columbia, MO $2,049

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $2,865 in Columbia, MO.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Columbia, MO $2,865

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $3,682 in Columbia, MO.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Columbia, MO $3,682

Living in Lisbon is roughly 9% more expensive than in Columbia, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Columbia, MO 52% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$16.12 $16.12
5.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$73.2 $73.2
-14.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$11.84 $11.84
-6.93%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.72 $4.72
-33.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.47 $2.47
-8.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.16 $2.16
-19.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$5.07 $5.07
-32.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$5.56 $5.56
-32.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.09 $1.09
7.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.80 $2.80
-33.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$4.33 $4.33
-64.43%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$3.40 $3.40
19.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$11.34 $11.34
13.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$12.01 $12.01
-34.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$14.16 $14.16
24.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$4.06 $4.06
-44.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.91 $1.91
-8.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$4.47 $4.47
-57.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$4.57 $4.57
-43.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.85 $2.85
-35.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.59 $2.59
-23.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.66 $1.66
-12.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.04 $2.04
-62.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$8.01 $8.01
-16.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$16.74 $16.74
-66.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.96 $1.96
-30.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.36 $2.36
-10.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$4.76 $4.76
-17.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.01 $1.01
3.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$22.83 $22.83
-24.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.05 $1.05
108.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$35.7K $35.7K
-5.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$26.0K $26.0K
46.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$179 $179
-8.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$46.85 $46.85
-60.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$57.6 $57.6
-42.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$30.12 $30.12
52.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$23.35 $23.35
-20.00%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$12.91 $12.91
-24.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$1,185 $1,185
-42.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$12.9K $12.9K
36.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$48.26 $48.26
114.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$33.10 $33.10
39.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$94.2 $94.2
5.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$86.3 $86.3
44.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$1,221 $1,221
30.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$934 $934
25.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,814 $1,814
57.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$1,170 $1,170
70.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$2,061 $2,061
278.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$1,877 $1,877
135.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Columbia, MO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$4,084 $4,084
-60.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.54
-41.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Columbia, MO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Columbia, MO
$934 20.1% $235
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Columbia, MO
$372 36.1% $99
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Columbia, MO
$276 11.6% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Columbia, MO
$284 31.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Columbia, MO
$118 30.1% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Columbia, MO
$56 14.4% $9.4
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Columbia, MO
$9.8 * 84.4% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,221 in Columbia, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, MO pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $73.0 in Columbia, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $372 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Columbia, MO
🕒 Local time
10:53 10:53 AM
04:53 4:53 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
139,698
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Columbia, MO 6,930 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Columbia, MO

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 Columbia, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Columbia, MO cheaper than Lisbon?
Columbia, MO is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Columbia, MO?
On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Columbia, MO. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Columbia, MO?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,221 in Columbia, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $1,185 in Columbia, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Columbia, MO?
Dining out is cheaper in Columbia, MO – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $61.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Columbia, MO?
At $2,049 in Columbia, MO versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Columbia, MO but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Columbia, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lisbon or Columbia, MO more family-friendly?
For families, Columbia, MO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Columbia, MO?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Columbia, MO 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Columbia, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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