Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lexington, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lexington, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,356 in Lisbon versus $2,582 in Lexington, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,446 in Lisbon versus $4,496 in Lexington, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,537 in Lisbon versus $6,409 in Lexington, MA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 9% less than in Lexington, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 73% above, Lexington, MA 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.88

$20.26 $20.26

-15.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 €55.1

$75.1 $75.1

-15.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €9.96

$16.24 $16.24

-29.31%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.70

$4.91 $4.91

-36.66%

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

$2.41 €2.09

$2.75 $2.75

-12.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.98 $1.98

-17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.93

$6.97 $6.97

-51.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €2.99

$8.14 $8.14

-57.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.05 $1.05

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 €1.68

$3.96 $3.96

-51.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 €1.31

$3.91 $3.91

-61.38%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.46

$4.74 $4.74

-15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.43

$11.63 $11.63

13.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 €6.94

$10.28 $10.28

-22.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 €14.66

$14.80 $14.80

14.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 €2.02

$4.82 $4.82

-51.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.85 $1.85

-2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$4.25 $4.25

-53.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.22

$4.46 $4.46

-42.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$2.73 $2.73

-29.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.78

$2.92 $2.92

-29.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.08 $2.08

-28.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.75

$2.41 $2.41

-64.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 €6.17

$10.46 $10.46

-32.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.14

$14.21 $14.21

-58.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.00 $2.00

-31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.85

$3.90 $3.90

-45.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.14 $2.14

14.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.67 €39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 €3.47

$2.96 $2.96

35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.92 $1.92

-42.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.36 €15.05

$27.55 $27.55

-36.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.96

$0.98 $0.98

130.61%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$39.1K $39.1K

-12.67%

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

$40.8K €35.4K

$25.7K $25.7K

59.16%

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

$173 €150

$198 $198

-12.58%

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

$19.21 €16.66

$58.6 $58.6

-67.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.09 €29.56

$69.5 $69.5

-50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.69 €41.36

$41.02 $41.02

16.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.61 €17.01

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 €8.63

$13.92 $13.92

-28.52%

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

$706 €612

$1,433 $1,433

-50.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$23.5K $23.5K

-25.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €94.7

$56.8 $56.8

92.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 €40.88

$44.51 $44.51

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.7

$89.9 $89.9

20.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$105 $105

21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 €1,446

$1,513 $1,513

10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,117

$1,342 $1,342

-4.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,916 €2,529

$2,347 $2,347

24.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 €1,793

$3,532 $3,532

-41.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,760 €6,729

$2,764 $2,764

180.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,446 €3,856

$2,402 $2,402

85.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,679 €1,456

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.72

6.12

-39.22%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 9, 2026

Last update for Lexington, MA: August 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,668 in Lisbon and $1,513 in Lexington, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $75.0 in Lexington, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $387 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 Lexington, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Lexington, MA differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,356 vs $2,582 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,533 in Lisbon and $3,873 in Lexington, MA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,668 in Lisbon versus $1,513 in Lexington, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Lexington, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,356 per month in Lisbon versus $2,582 in Lexington, MA – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Lexington, MA 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 10% less than in Lexington, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.