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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,376 in Elgin, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $3,445 in Elgin, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $4,514 in Elgin, IL.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Elgin, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Elgin, IL 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$15.06 $15.06

7.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$61.2 $61.2

3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$9.92 $9.92

4.03%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$3.93 $3.93

-27.99%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.75 $2.75

-16.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.04 $2.04

-22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$6.10 $6.10

-44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$5.05 $5.05

-20.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.74 $0.74

47.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.72 $3.72

-52.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$5.08 $5.08

-65.35%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.11 $4.11

-22.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$10.82 $10.82

21.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$13.56 $13.56

-41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$11.18 $11.18

38.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.26 $2.26

4.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.08 $1.08

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.66 $1.66

21.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.72 $2.72

-10.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.57 $2.57

-31.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.92 $2.92

-30.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.00 $2.00

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.94 $1.94

-56.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.08 $10.08

-34.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$15.51 $15.51

-64.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.40 $2.40

-44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$4.87 $4.87

-39.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.37 $4.37

-3.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.11 $2.11

-61.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$27.66 $27.66

-33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.90 $0.90

131.11%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$24.6K $24.6K

40.82%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

54.26%

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

$148 €130

$99.1 $99.1

49.33%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$51.2 $51.2

-60.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$49.28 $49.28

-19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$43.62 $43.62

10.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$15.23 $15.23

-39.46%

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

$616 €540

$1,634 $1,634

-62.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$24.4K $24.4K

-32.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$40.19 $40.19

155.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$48.95 $48.95

-14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$102 $102

-6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$135 $135

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,627 $1,627

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,369 $1,369

-9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,683 $2,683

15.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$2,226 $2,226

-8.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$2,197 $2,197

256.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$2,225 $2,225

97.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$3,907 $3,907

-58.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.55

-41.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Elgin, IL: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,627 in Elgin, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elgin, IL pays 143% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $61.0 in Elgin, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $351, 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

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 143% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,627 in Elgin, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $1,634 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 Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $61.0 in Elgin, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elgin, IL, 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Elgin, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.