Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Elk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,302 in Elk, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,964 in Elk, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,627 in Elk, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 74% more than Elk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Elk is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$9.69 zł 36.08

81.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$45.25 zł 168

42.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$8.29 zł 30.85

40.53%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.29 zł 12.24

-0.91%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.89 zł 7.03

31.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.66 zł 6.18

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.77 zł 10.33

25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.08 zł 15.19

-12.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.00 zł 3.72

18.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.29 zł 4.81

51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.73 zł 6.45

-9.83%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.57 zł 9.58

56.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$4.82 zł 17.95

175.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.56 zł 24.42

28.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$14.76 zł 55.0

23.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.19 zł 4.43

94.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.69 zł 6.30

2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.65 zł 6.15

16.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$3.39 zł 12.63

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.90 zł 3.36

111.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.46 zł 5.45

44.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.54 zł 5.72

-6.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.53 zł 1.96

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$4.80 zł 17.88

46.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.46 zł 27.79

-20.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.38 zł 5.15

-1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.38 zł 5.13

55.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.72 zł 2.69

230.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$22.43 zł 83.5

106.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.21 zł 8.21

89.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.51 zł 1.91

115.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$6.55 zł 24.39

163.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.60 zł 5.96

40.62%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$32.1K zł 119.6K

7.35%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$28.6K zł 106.6K

45.40%

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

$171 €147

$193 zł 717

-11.23%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$7.01 zł 26.11

171.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$14.45 zł 53.8

137.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$30.87 zł 115

60.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$38.29 zł 143

-49.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$6.88 zł 25.63

46.80%

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

$699 €603

$317 zł 1,181

120.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$5,301 zł 19.7K

235.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$88.7 zł 330

17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$27.28 zł 102

75.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$87.8 zł 327

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$121 zł 452

5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$551 zł 2,052

201.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$476 zł 1,771

158.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$983 zł 3,661

196.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$832 zł 3,097

143.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,313 zł 8,612

251.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,041 zł 7,600

127.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,282 zł 4,775

26.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.21

-39.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Elk: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $551 in Elk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $45.00 in Elk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $214 – making Elk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Elk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,952 in Elk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon and $45.00 in Elk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elk, where all-in costs run around $1,302, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Elk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Elk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.