Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Milwaukee, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,307 in Milwaukee, WI, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Milwaukee, WI despite lower rent and utilities.

Lisbon, Portugal
Milwaukee, WI, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Milwaukee, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,307
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Milwaukee, WI

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 Milwaukee, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,307 in Milwaukee, WI.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Milwaukee, WI $2,307

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,389 in Milwaukee, WI.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Milwaukee, WI $3,389

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,471 in Milwaukee, WI.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Milwaukee, WI $4,471

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Milwaukee, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Milwaukee, WI 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$20.23 $20.23
-17.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$75.5 $75.5
-18.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$9.95 $9.95
14.17%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$4.95 $4.95
-40.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.81 $2.81
-18.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.97 $1.97
-11.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$6.11 $6.11
-44.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$6.85 $6.85
-51.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.84 $0.84
38.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$3.47 $3.47
-44.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$5.25 $5.25
-71.24%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$4.64 $4.64
-13.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$10.00 $10.00
29.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$13.93 $13.93
-44.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$16.82 $16.82
5.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$5.06 $5.06
-54.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.51 $1.51
14.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$4.50 $4.50
-58.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$5.20 $5.20
-50.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.61 $2.61
-30.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.55 $2.55
-22.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.34 $2.34
-37.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$2.27 $2.27
-68.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$10.75 $10.75
-38.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$15.42 $15.42
-63.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.95 $1.95
-30.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.37 $3.37
-36.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.79 $2.79
-16.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$72.8 $72.8
-38.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.85 $2.85
35.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.56 $1.56
-31.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$20.83 $20.83
-20.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.99 $0.99
122.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$34.2K $34.2K
-0.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$25.6K $25.6K
51.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$202 $202
-20.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$67.3 $67.3
-72.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$70.7 $70.7
-53.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$37.90 $37.90
17.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$18.66 $18.66
2.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$14.33 $14.33
-33.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,813 $1,813
-63.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$23.8K $23.8K
-25.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$55.0 $55.0
85.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$40.82 $40.82
8.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$92.5 $92.5
6.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$117 $117
5.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,608 $1,608
0.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$946 $946
25.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$3,400 $3,400
-17.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,464 $1,464
37.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$3,028 $3,028
158.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$1,625 $1,625
181.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Milwaukee, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$3,671 $3,671
-57.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.65
-42.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Milwaukee, WI
$946 20.5% $244
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Milwaukee, WI
$408 49.8% $136
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Milwaukee, WI
$314 29.6% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Milwaukee, WI
$340 60% $127
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Milwaukee, WI
$137 17.1% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Milwaukee, WI
$67 4.4% $2.8
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Milwaukee, WI
$95 49.8% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,608 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milwaukee, WI pays about 2.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $76 in Milwaukee, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $408 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Milwaukee, WI
🕒 Local time
11:40 11:40 AM
05:40 5:40 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
605,013
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Milwaukee, WI 6,390 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Milwaukee, WI

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 Milwaukee, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Milwaukee, WI?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,307 in Milwaukee, WI, so Lisbon is about 4% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Lisbon. 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 Milwaukee, WI?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,608 in Milwaukee, WI. 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 Milwaukee, WI?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $1,813 in Milwaukee, WI. 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 Milwaukee, WI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Milwaukee, WI?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Milwaukee, WI?
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.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Milwaukee, WI?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Milwaukee, WI on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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