Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Norfolk, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Norfolk, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,374 in Norfolk, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,569 in Norfolk, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,764 in Norfolk, VA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 3% less than in Norfolk, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Norfolk, VA 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$18.55 $18.55

-5.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$90.3 $90.3

-30.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.63 $11.63

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.76 $5.76

-46.18%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.74 $2.74

-9.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.15 $2.15

-19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$6.18 $6.18

-43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$6.81 $6.81

-49.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.99 $0.99

16.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.94 $3.94

-51.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$5.37 $5.37

-72.07%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$4.63 $4.63

-14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$15.38 $15.38

-13.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$9.84 $9.84

-18.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$18.21 $18.21

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.83 $4.83

-51.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.29 $1.29

35.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$5.02 $5.02

-63.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.73 $5.73

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.25 $2.25

-18.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.64 $3.64

-42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.79 $1.79

-16.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.20 $2.20

-62.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$9.38 $9.38

-24.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$14.93 $14.93

-60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.84 $1.84

-28.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.75 $2.75

-22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.97 $1.97

19.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$101 $101

-53.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$4.56 $4.56

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.28 $1.28

-10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$17.77 $17.77

-3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.97 $0.97

138.14%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$35.9K $35.9K

-4.88%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

59.16%

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

$169 €147

$207 $207

-18.41%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$56.3 $56.3

-65.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$67.5 $67.5

-50.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$39.80 $39.80

22.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$17.84 $17.84

8.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$12.23 $12.23

-21.75%

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

$696 €607

$1,515 $1,515

-54.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$16.1K $16.1K

8.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$54.2 $54.2

94.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$47.72 $47.72

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$91.2 $91.2

10.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$120 $120

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$1,241 $1,241

33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$1,035 $1,035

20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$2,324 $2,324

27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,683 $1,683

21.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,430 $2,430

222.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$2,309 $2,309

93.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$3,455 $3,455

-52.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.2

-39.03%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, VA: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,241 in Norfolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Norfolk, VA pays 112% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $90.0 in Norfolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $412 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 Norfolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Norfolk, VA differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $2,374 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Norfolk, VA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,241 in Norfolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $1,515 in Norfolk, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Norfolk, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,374 in Norfolk, VA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Norfolk, VA. 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 Norfolk, VA 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 3% less than in Norfolk, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.