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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,844 in Normal, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Lisbon versus $3,323 in Normal, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Lisbon versus $4,803 in Normal, IL.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 20% more expensive than in Normal, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Normal, IL 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.80

$9.81 $9.81

60.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.2

$49.91 $49.91

25.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.25

$9.91 $9.91

6.26%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.53

$5.07 $5.07

-43.20%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$3.16 $3.16

-28.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$2.20 $2.20

-29.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.98

$4.97 $4.97

-31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.42

$7.20 $7.20

-45.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$0.81 $0.81

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$2.62 $2.62

-33.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.55

$3.35 $3.35

-47.46%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.78

$4.02 $4.02

-21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.68

$9.07 $9.07

46.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.92

$12.50 $12.50

-37.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.92

$15.33 $15.33

3.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$5.76 $5.76

-58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.50

$1.15 $1.15

47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$4.51 $4.51

-54.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$4.79 $4.79

-47.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$2.21 $2.21

-15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$2.10 $2.10

-1.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.91 $1.91

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.69

$2.60 $2.60

-70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.84

$10.44 $10.44

-36.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.08

$11.22 $11.22

-48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.22

$1.90 $1.90

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$3.06 $3.06

-1.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.05

$2.02 $2.02

15.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.94

$90.7 $90.7

-49.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$2.76 $2.76

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.62 $1.62

-50.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.38

$21.12 $21.12

-11.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$0.81 $0.81

146.91%

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

$35.4K €31.1K

$30.4K $30.4K

16.21%

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

$39.1K €34.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

49.99%

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

$150 €132

$184 $184

-18.51%

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

$20.55 €18.06

$40.24 $40.24

-48.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.66

$63.6 $63.6

-37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.23

$42.48 $42.48

13.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.43

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.17

$14.53 $14.53

-35.99%

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

$628 €552

$691 $691

-9.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

$24.1K $24.1K

-31.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.2

$30.41 $30.41

233.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.51

$40.79 $40.79

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.3

$80.1 $80.1

15.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$106 $106

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,430

$1,573 $1,573

3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,083

$696 $696

77.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,747

$2,596 $2,596

20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,808

$2,179 $2,179

-5.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,821

$9,859 $9,859

-21.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,854

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

$4,182 $4,182

-61.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.55

-41.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,573 in Normal, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Normal, IL pays 158% 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 $269 vs $365, 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 20% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,844 including rent). Normal, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 158% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,573 in Normal, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $628 in Lisbon versus $691 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 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Normal, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 20% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.