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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,683 in Medford, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $4,045 in Medford, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $5,408 in Medford, MA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 16% less than in Medford, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Medford, MA 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$18.95 $18.95

-15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$100 $100

-36.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$11.19 $11.19

-7.24%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$5.58 $5.58

-50.00%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.69 $2.69

-13.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.13 $2.13

-26.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$7.90 $7.90

-56.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$9.18 $9.18

-57.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.30 $1.30

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.33 $3.33

-46.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.11 $3.11

-45.02%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$4.87 $4.87

-35.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.81 $10.81

26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$9.85 $9.85

-18.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$20.63 $20.63

-24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$5.64 $5.64

-59.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.09 $2.09

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$5.73 $5.73

-66.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$5.99 $5.99

-58.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$4.46 $4.46

-59.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.81 $3.81

-47.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.84 $2.84

-30.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.23 $2.23

-62.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$11.03 $11.03

-38.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$14.97 $14.97

-62.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.18 $2.18

-36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.05 $2.05

47.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.42 $2.42

-6.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$89.2 $89.2

-49.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$2.53 $2.53

69.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.77 $1.77

-51.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$28.40 $28.40

-35.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.85 $0.85

134.12%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$30.3K $30.3K

15.76%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$24.7K $24.7K

60.33%

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

$146 €126

$198 $198

-26.07%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$58.7 $58.7

-65.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$65.3 $65.3

-40.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$43.13 $43.13

13.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$15.00 $15.00

-36.53%

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

$608 €524

$1,511 $1,511

-59.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

-38.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$52.0 $52.0

99.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$32.23 $32.23

30.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$65.2 $65.2

41.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$83.3 $83.3

44.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$1,584 $1,584

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$1,332 $1,332

-4.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$2,645 $2,645

15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$2,181 $2,181

-7.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$2,498 $2,498

206.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$2,052 $2,052

110.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.43

-40.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medford, MA: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $1,584 in Medford, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $100 in Medford, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $420 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 Medford, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Medford, MA differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $2,683 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $4,024 in Medford, 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $1,584 in Medford, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $1,511 in Medford, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Medford, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,683 in Medford, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Medford, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Medford, 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 19% less than in Medford, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.