Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elgin, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elgin, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,049 in Elgin, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,589 in Elgin, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,129 in Elgin, IL.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 116% more expensive than in Elgin, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Elgin, IL is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$19.61 $19.61

-10.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$60.6 $60.6

6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.05 $10.05

15.92%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.01 $4.01

-18.70%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$3.05 $3.05

-18.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.98 $1.98

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$6.02 $6.02

-42.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.96 $4.96

-27.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.87 $0.87

35.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.63 $3.63

-46.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$4.88 $4.88

-68.03%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.92 $3.92

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$11.21 $11.21

18.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$13.42 $13.42

-37.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$12.00 $12.00

51.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.43 $4.43

-47.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.34 $1.34

29.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.59 $2.59

-25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$4.20 $4.20

-37.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.93 $1.93

-1.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.00 $2.00

5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.82 $1.82

-20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.36 $2.36

-66.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.80 $10.80

-35.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$15.56 $15.56

-61.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.71 $2.71

-49.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.60 $3.60

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.03 $4.03

3.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.94 $1.94

-43.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$28.49 $28.49

-39.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.00 $1.00

125.00%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$35.3K $35.3K

-2.27%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

66.11%

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

$171 €147

$101 $101

68.97%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$53.5 $53.5

-64.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$49.20 $49.20

-30.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$14.94 $14.94

-32.40%

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

$699 €603

$1,716 $1,716

-59.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

-24.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$40.21 $40.21

160.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$49.96 $49.96

-3.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$102 $102

-0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$120 $120

7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$2,240 $2,240

30.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$1,778 $1,778

13.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

$2,256 $2,256

260.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

$2,218 $2,218

108.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,947 $3,947

-58.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.26

-39.62%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Elgin, IL: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Elgin, IL pays 144% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $61.0 in Elgin, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $376, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Elgin, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elgin, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 144% lower in Elgin, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $1,716 in Elgin, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elgin, IL 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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Elgin, IL 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 Elgin, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.