Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Normal, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Normal, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,259 in Normal, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,291 in Normal, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,324 in Normal, IL.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 2% more expensive than in Normal, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Normal, IL 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$11.35 $11.35

54.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$50.2 $50.2

25.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$10.01 $10.01

15.68%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.90 $4.90

-36.73%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$3.37 $3.37

-26.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.50 $1.50

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$5.24 $5.24

-33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$6.15 $6.15

-44.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.79 $0.79

45.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.67 $2.67

-28.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.25 $3.25

-53.85%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.65 $3.65

9.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$8.98 $8.98

48.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$12.49 $12.49

-35.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.72

$19.21 $19.21

-6.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$6.44 $6.44

-63.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.25 $1.25

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$6.69 $6.69

-72.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.16 $5.16

-50.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.38 $3.38

-45.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.22 $3.22

-34.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.38 $2.38

-65.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$11.83 $11.83

-39.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$10.84 $10.84

-45.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.92 $1.92

-31.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.92 $2.92

-27.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-2.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.61

$92.3 $92.3

-49.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.83 $5.83

-30.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.08 $1.08

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$18.30 $18.30

-6.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.86 $0.86

168.60%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$37.0K $37.0K

-7.83%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

54.95%

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

$169 €147

$206 $206

-18.34%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$96.0 $96.0

-79.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.20

$63.8 $63.8

-47.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.55

$40.21 $40.21

21.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$12.05 $12.05

-20.58%

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

$696 €606

$1,071 $1,071

-35.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$30.45 $30.45

245.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.60

$40.70 $40.70

17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$67.9 $67.9

48.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$151 $151

-17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,448

$1,004 $1,004

65.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$902 $902

38.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,583

$1,791 $1,791

65.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,785

$1,621 $1,621

26.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,825

$9,996 $9,996

-21.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,889

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$4,165 $4,165

-60.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.33

-40.28%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,004 in Normal, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Normal, IL pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $50.0 in Normal, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $392, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Normal, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Normal, IL differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $2,259 including rent). Normal, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 155% lower in Normal, IL. 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 $1,004 in Normal, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $1,071 in Normal, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,259 in Normal, IL versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Normal, IL but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Normal, IL 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 Normal, IL 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 Normal, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.