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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,974 in Norfolk, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $4,191 in Norfolk, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $5,407 in Norfolk, VA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 25% less than in Norfolk, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Norfolk, VA 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$19.71 $19.71

-17.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$74.1 $74.1

-12.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$12.01 $12.01

-13.57%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$5.48 $5.48

-49.45%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.35 $2.35

-4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.04 $2.04

-23.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$6.08 $6.08

-42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$7.15 $7.15

-44.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.85 $0.85

27.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$4.16 $4.16

-58.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$5.43 $5.43

-67.96%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$4.63 $4.63

-31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$13.47 $13.47

-0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$11.42 $11.42

-30.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$16.71 $16.71

-3.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.80 $4.80

-52.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.46 $1.46

17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$5.70 $5.70

-65.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$6.38 $6.38

-60.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.24 $2.24

-18.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.25 $3.25

-37.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.12 $2.12

-59.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$9.15 $9.15

-25.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$15.06 $15.06

-61.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.83 $1.83

-25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$3.07 $3.07

-5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$104 $104

-55.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$4.53 $4.53

-9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.33 $1.33

-38.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$14.76 $14.76

23.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.86 $0.86

133.72%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$30.6K $30.6K

15.42%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$27.0K $27.0K

42.32%

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

$145 €124

$186 $186

-22.00%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$48.57 $48.57

-56.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$71.4 $71.4

-43.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$40.47 $40.47

20.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$17.37 $17.37

7.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$12.07 $12.07

-24.94%

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

$607 €519

$1,466 $1,466

-58.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$16.0K $16.0K

1.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$60.0 $60.0

74.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$45.78 $45.78

-10.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$99.6 $99.6

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$142 $142

-16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,862 $1,862

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$1,623 $1,623

-23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,541 $2,541

19.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$2,320 $2,320

-11.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,445 $2,445

215.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$2,244 $2,244

90.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$3,412 $3,412

-53.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.53

-41.65%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, VA: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,862 in Norfolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Norfolk, VA pays 115% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $74.0 in Norfolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $417 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 34% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $2,974 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Norfolk, VA earns 115% less. 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,862 in Norfolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $1,466 in Norfolk, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Norfolk, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,974 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 34% less than in Norfolk, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.