Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Durham, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Durham, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,592 in Durham, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $3,767 in Durham, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $4,942 in Durham, NC.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 14% less than in Durham, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Durham, NC 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$15.04 $15.04

7.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$69.6 $69.6

-7.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.83 $9.83

5.60%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.61 $4.61

-39.91%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.13 $2.13

5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.90 $1.90

-17.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$4.86 $4.86

-28.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$6.35 $6.35

-37.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.93 $0.93

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.75 $3.75

-53.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.60 $3.60

-51.67%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$4.59 $4.59

-30.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.04 $9.04

48.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$12.40 $12.40

-35.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$15.50 $15.50

3.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$5.43 $5.43

-58.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.19 $1.19

44.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.72 $3.72

-47.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$3.58 $3.58

-29.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.66 $2.66

-31.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.71 $2.71

-24.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.93 $1.93

2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.94 $1.94

-56.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$9.92 $9.92

-30.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$15.15 $15.15

-61.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.75 $1.75

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$4.17 $4.17

-30.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$24.55 $24.55

90.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.95 $1.95

109.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.50 $1.50

-45.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$22.59 $22.59

-19.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.81 $0.81

148.15%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$28.3K $28.3K

24.45%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

47.92%

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

$145 €124

$163 $163

-10.57%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$52.5 $52.5

-60.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$75.0 $75.0

-46.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$39.80 $39.80

22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$12.03 $12.03

-24.69%

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

$607 €519

$1,300 $1,300

-53.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$31.0K $31.0K

-47.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$52.0 $52.0

101.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$35.44 $35.44

15.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$79.4 $79.4

17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$120 $120

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,849 $1,849

-13.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$1,436 $1,436

-13.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,602 $2,602

17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$2,362 $2,362

-12.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,743 $2,743

181.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$2,681 $2,681

59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$4,439 $4,439

-64.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.54

-41.74%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Durham, NC: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,849 in Durham, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 180% 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 $70.0 in Durham, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $374 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 Durham, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Durham, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Durham, NC earns 180% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,849 in Durham, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 91% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $1,300 in Durham, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,592 in Durham, NC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,227 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Durham, NC 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.