Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Columbus, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, IN: $2,093 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Columbus, IN, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Columbus, IN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,093
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Columbus, IN

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 Columbus, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,093 in Columbus, IN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Columbus, IN $2,093

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $3,084 in Columbus, IN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Columbus, IN $3,084

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $4,075 in Columbus, IN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Columbus, IN $4,075

Lisbon costs about 6% more than Columbus, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lisbon and Columbus, IN sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Columbus, IN by 54%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.94
$14.78 $14.78
12.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.4
$49.05 $49.05
25.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.19
$9.86 $9.86
15.21%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$4.92 $4.92
-39.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.31 $2.31
-0.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.68 $1.68
3.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$5.47 $5.47
-37.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$7.30 $7.30
-54.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.90 $0.90
28.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$3.25 $3.25
-41.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.30 $3.30
-54.24%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$2.25 $2.25
78.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.61
$12.78 $12.78
1.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$10.99 $10.99
-29.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.94
$9.22 $9.22
92.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$4.35 $4.35
-47.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.31 $1.31
32.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$4.22 $4.22
-55.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.41 $4.41
-41.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.52 $2.52
-27.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$3.18 $3.18
-38.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.06 $2.06
-28.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.47 $0.47
53.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$8.06 $8.06
-18.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.03
$14.76 $14.76
-61.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.07 $2.07
-34.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$3.03 $3.03
-29.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.09
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$3.65 $3.65
5.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.26 $1.26
-15.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.77
$24.68 $24.68
-33.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.92 $0.92
139.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$35.6K $35.6K
-4.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$26.1K $26.1K
48.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$152 $152
6.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.52
$55.0 $55.0
-66.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.37
$72.1 $72.1
-54.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.97
$45.56 $45.56
-2.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.14
$34.86 $34.86
-45.21%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.61
$11.85 $11.85
-18.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €599
$1,339 $1,339
-50.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$19.2K $19.2K
-8.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.5
$45.35 $45.35
124.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.90
$39.24 $39.24
13.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.4
$83.8 $83.8
17.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$108 $108
14.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,443
$1,332 $1,332
20.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,068
$1,018 $1,018
16.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,523
$1,882 $1,882
49.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,806
$1,750 $1,750
15.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,034
$1,774 $1,774
341.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,106
$1,763 $1,763
159.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Columbus, IN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,413
$4,061 $4,061
-61.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.59
-41.58%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Columbus, IN: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Columbus, IN
$1K 14.4% $172
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Columbus, IN
$327 20% $55
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Columbus, IN
$265 9.2% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Columbus, IN
$279 31.4% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Columbus, IN
$124 25% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Columbus, IN
$69 8.6% $5.5
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Columbus, IN
$10 * 84.3% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,332 in Columbus, IN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Columbus, IN are about 2.6 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $49 in Columbus, IN. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Lisbon vs $327 in Columbus, IN – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Columbus, IN
🕒 Local time
14:10 2:10 PM
10:10 10:10 AM
4 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
905,748
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Columbus, IN 6,420 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Columbus, IN

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 Columbus, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Columbus, IN?
Lisbon costs about 6% more than Columbus, IN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Columbus, IN?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,139 in Columbus, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Columbus, IN?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Columbus, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,332 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Columbus, IN?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $49 in Columbus, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Columbus, IN?
Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Columbus, IN?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,093 in Columbus, IN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Lisbon or Columbus, IN?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,093 in Columbus, IN to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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