Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Johnson City, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Johnson City, TN: $2,138 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $860 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Johnson City, TN, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Johnson City, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,138
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Johnson City, TN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Johnson City, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,138 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Johnson City, TN $2,138

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $3,133 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Johnson City, TN $3,133

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $4,129 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Johnson City, TN $4,129

Lisbon costs about 3% more than Johnson City, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lisbon and Johnson City, TN sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Johnson City, TN by 57%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$13.78 $13.78
20.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$53.9 $53.9
14.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$9.88 $9.88
14.98%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$5.14 $5.14
-42.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$2.88 $2.88
-20.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.03 $2.03
-14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$4.93 $4.93
-31.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$6.04 $6.04
-45.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.98 $0.98
18.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$3.75 $3.75
-49.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.97 $3.97
-61.96%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$3.11 $3.11
29.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$7.53 $7.53
71.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$13.67 $13.67
-43.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$13.09 $13.09
35.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$7.59 $7.59
-69.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.73 $1.73
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$4.10 $4.10
-54.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$3.65 $3.65
-29.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$3.40 $3.40
-46.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$4.34 $4.34
-54.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.20 $2.20
-33.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$2.36 $2.36
-69.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$9.01 $9.01
-26.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$13.14 $13.14
-57.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.61 $1.61
-15.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$4.42 $4.42
-51.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$0.97 $0.97
140.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$25.13 $25.13
77.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$5.58 $5.58
-31.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.44 $1.44
-25.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$15.19 $15.19
8.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$0.83 $0.83
165.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$30.0K $30.0K
13.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$24.7K $24.7K
56.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$172 $172
-6.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$51.9 $51.9
-64.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$62.5 $62.5
-47.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$47.20 $47.20
-5.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$20.14 $20.14
-5.16%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$11.88 $11.88
-19.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$1,185 $1,185
-43.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$14.6K $14.6K
20.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$37.41 $37.41
172.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$30.80 $30.80
44.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$87.4 $87.4
12.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$94.4 $94.4
31.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$1,178 $1,178
36.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$980 $980
21.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,992 $1,992
41.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$1,616 $1,616
24.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$2,444 $2,444
220.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$2,033 $2,033
125.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Johnson City, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$3,584 $3,584
-56.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.49
-40.68%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Johnson City, TN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Johnson City, TN
$980 17.6% $210
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Johnson City, TN
$388 42.4% $116
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Johnson City, TN
$258 6.3% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Johnson City, TN
$287 34.9% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Johnson City, TN
$113 32.2% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Johnson City, TN
$71 11.3% $7.2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Johnson City, TN
$42 33.9% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,178 in Johnson City, TN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Johnson City, TN are about 2.3 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $54 in Johnson City, TN. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Lisbon vs $388 in Johnson City, TN – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Johnson City, TN
🕒 Local time
22:16 10:16 PM
18:16 6:16 PM
4 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
66,027
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Johnson City, TN 6,280 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Johnson City, TN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Johnson City, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Johnson City, TN cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,207 in Johnson City, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Johnson City, TN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,178 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Johnson City, TN?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $54 in Johnson City, TN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lisbon and in Johnson City, TN?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,138 in Johnson City, TN. That makes Johnson City, TN about 3% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Lisbon or Johnson City, TN?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,138 in Johnson City, TN, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Johnson City, TN?
It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,138 in Johnson City, TN to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Johnson City, TN?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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