Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Florence, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Florence, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,198 in Florence, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,147 in Florence, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,097 in Florence, SC.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 4% more expensive than in Florence, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Florence, SC 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$15.04 $15.04

16.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$64.6 $64.6

-2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.21 $11.21

3.30%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.71 $4.71

-34.18%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.62 $2.62

-4.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.05 $2.05

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$5.14 $5.14

-32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$7.13 $7.13

-51.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.96 $0.96

19.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$4.10 $4.10

-53.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$6.01 $6.01

-75.04%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$5.26 $5.26

-24.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$11.62 $11.62

14.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$14.48 $14.48

-44.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$24.84 $24.84

-27.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.34 $6.34

-62.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.78 $1.78

-1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$7.02 $7.02

-73.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.97 $5.97

-57.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$4.07 $4.07

-54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$5.89 $5.89

-64.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.32 $2.32

-35.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$3.03 $3.03

-72.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$8.09 $8.09

-12.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$14.52 $14.52

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.99 $1.99

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$5.95 $5.95

-64.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$7.06 $7.06

-42.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.91 $1.91

-40.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.90 $0.90

156.67%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-2.62%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

61.58%

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

$169 €147

$227 $227

-25.67%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$54.2 $54.2

-64.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$41.10 $41.10

-18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$14.94 $14.94

-35.94%

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

$696 €607

$1,299 $1,299

-46.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$39.76 $39.76

164.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$30.52 $30.52

56.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$105 $105

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$69.4 $69.4

79.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$989 $989

68.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$994 $994

25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$1,479 $1,479

100.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,358 $1,358

50.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$1,532 $1,532

411.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,590 $1,590

180.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$3,106 $3,106

-47.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.03

-37.31%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Florence, SC: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $989 in Florence, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Florence, SC pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $65.0 in Florence, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $498 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 Florence, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Florence, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Florence, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Florence, SC. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $989 in Florence, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $1,299 in Florence, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Florence, SC – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,198 in Florence, SC versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Florence, SC but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Florence, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Florence, SC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,198 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Florence, SC hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Florence, SC 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 Florence, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.