Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Memphis, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,501 in Memphis, TN, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Memphis, TN despite lower rent and utilities.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Memphis, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,501
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,501 in Memphis, TN.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Memphis, TN $2,501

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $3,673 in Memphis, TN.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Memphis, TN $3,673

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $4,844 in Memphis, TN.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Memphis, TN $4,844

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 11% less than in Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Memphis, TN 85% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$17.99 $17.99
-8.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$74.5 $74.5
-17.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.02
$12.16 $12.16
-7.32%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$5.68 $5.68
-46.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.40 $2.40
-5.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.99 $1.99
-13.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$7.12 $7.12
-52.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$8.03 $8.03
-57.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.94 $0.94
19.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$3.15 $3.15
-40.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.96 $3.96
-61.36%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.77 $3.77
5.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$13.18 $13.18
-3.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$11.45 $11.45
-31.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$18.84 $18.84
-9.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$5.67 $5.67
-59.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.71 $1.71
2.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$5.71 $5.71
-67.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$4.98 $4.98
-48.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$3.14 $3.14
-40.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$4.17 $4.17
-51.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.64 $2.64
-45.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$2.16 $2.16
-62.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$10.87 $10.87
-39.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$12.94 $12.94
-56.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.76 $1.76
-27.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.60 $1.60
29.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$1.02 $1.02
130.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.29
$38.55 $38.55
14.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$2.02 $2.02
97.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.41 $1.41
-22.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.80
$20.36 $20.36
-18.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.02 $1.02
123.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$37.3K $37.3K
-9.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €34.9K
$27.1K $27.1K
45.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$187 $187
-10.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$86.3 $86.3
-78.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$75.8 $75.8
-56.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.92
$31.47 $31.47
46.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$16.62 $16.62
15.46%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$14.76 $14.76
-33.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$1,720 $1,720
-60.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.0K
$24.8K $24.8K
-31.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.0
$47.08 $47.08
115.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$33.58 $33.58
36.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$82.2 $82.2
21.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$156 $156
-21.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,435
$1,448 $1,448
11.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$1,175 $1,175
1.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,073 $2,073
38.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,900 $1,900
4.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,739
$1,755 $1,755
331.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,351 $1,351
218.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Memphis, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$3,523 $3,523
-54.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.6
-41.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Memphis, TN
$1.2K 1.9% $22
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Memphis, TN
$404 49.8% $134
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Memphis, TN
$318 31.2% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Memphis, TN
$349 59.2% $130
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Memphis, TN
$143 13.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Memphis, TN
$61 7.2% $4.7
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Memphis, TN
$52 17.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,448 in Memphis, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Memphis, TN pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $74.0 in Memphis, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $404 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Memphis, TN
🕒 Local time
13:34 1:34 PM
07:34 7:34 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
633,104
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Memphis, TN 6,960 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Memphis, TN?
Lisbon and Memphis, TN differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $2,501 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Memphis, TN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Memphis, TN?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,448 in Memphis, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Memphis, TN?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $1,720 in Memphis, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Memphis, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,501 in Memphis, TN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Memphis, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Memphis, TN?
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.
Is Lisbon or Memphis, TN safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Memphis, TN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Memphis, TN?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Memphis, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?