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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,390 in Elk, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $2,016 in Elk, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $2,642 in Elk, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 64% more than Elk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Elk sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Elk by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$7.95 zł 29.96

98.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$40.96 zł 154

54.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$6.61 zł 24.93

58.09%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$2.22 zł 8.38

31.08%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.07 zł 7.81

10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.07 zł 4.04

40.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$4.14 zł 15.61

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$4.01 zł 15.10

-1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.03 zł 3.87

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.35 zł 5.11

30.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.87 zł 7.06

-9.09%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.62 zł 9.89

24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$4.93 zł 18.61

168.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$6.49 zł 24.47

18.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$13.29 zł 50.1

18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.04 zł 3.94

119.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.89 zł 7.13

-12.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.02 zł 7.61

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.89 zł 10.89

-14.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$0.91 zł 3.43

96.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.08 zł 4.07

91.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.35 zł 5.11

45.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$0.51 zł 1.94

62.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$5.47 zł 20.63

19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$7.19 zł 27.11

-22.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.11 zł 4.18

19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$1.37 zł 5.18

119.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.11 zł 4.20

104.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

$32.67 zł 123

41.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$2.20 zł 8.29

92.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.48 zł 1.82

77.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$13.72 zł 51.7

37.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.76 zł 6.63

14.77%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$32.9K zł 124.0K

6.29%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$31.0K zł 117.0K

27.79%

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

$148 €129

$313 zł 1,180

-52.74%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$6.95 zł 26.22

195.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$13.50 zł 50.9

192.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$36.42 zł 137

32.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$19.74 zł 74.4

-6.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$6.93 zł 26.11

31.31%

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

$615 €536

$311 zł 1,173

97.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$5,507 zł 20.8K

195.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$84.8 zł 320

19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$26.81 zł 101

56.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$84.0 zł 317

9.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$88.6 zł 334

37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$548 zł 2,065

194.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$462 zł 1,743

171.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$938 zł 3,535

227.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$864 zł 3,259

135.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

$2,272 zł 8,567

241.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

$1,963 zł 7,402

118.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$1,258 zł 4,743

27.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-45.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Elk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $548 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 27% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $41.00 in Elk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $207 – 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 64%, 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 $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $2,085 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 29% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon and $41.00 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 $1,390, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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.