Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and North Charleston, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and North Charleston, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,688 in North Charleston, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $3,876 in North Charleston, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $5,064 in North Charleston, SC.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 18% less than in North Charleston, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, North Charleston, SC 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$17.93 $17.93

-11.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$85.6 $85.6

-27.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$10.17 $10.17

3.64%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$6.36 $6.36

-56.45%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$2.48 $2.48

-8.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.25 $2.25

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$5.91 $5.91

-39.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$7.78 $7.78

-48.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.99 $0.99

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$3.93 $3.93

-54.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$3.16 $3.16

-43.99%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$3.73 $3.73

-16.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$14.10 $14.10

-5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$12.74 $12.74

-37.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$14.65 $14.65

8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$6.87 $6.87

-66.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.63 $1.63

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.69 $4.69

-57.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$5.55 $5.55

-55.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.86 $2.86

-38.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.94 $2.94

-32.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.95 $1.95

1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$2.37 $2.37

-66.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$7.40 $7.40

-11.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$15.44 $15.44

-62.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.78 $1.78

-25.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$2.62 $2.62

14.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$3.54 $3.54

-33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$29.98 $29.98

52.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$2.93 $2.93

45.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$1.45 $1.45

-42.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$20.20 $20.20

-6.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$0.84 $0.84

146.43%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$29.2K $29.2K

20.88%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

49.01%

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

$151 €132

$211 $211

-28.48%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$64.8 $64.8

-67.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$73.8 $73.8

-46.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$43.44 $43.44

11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$12.10 $12.10

-25.29%

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

$610 €532

$760 $760

-19.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$14.4K $14.4K

12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$61.5 $61.5

64.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$43.01 $43.01

-5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$93.6 $93.6

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$137 $137

-13.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$1,957 $1,957

-18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$1,304 $1,304

-4.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$1,951 $1,951

54.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$1,985 $1,985

3.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$2,833 $2,833

181.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$2,861 $2,861

58.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$4,364 $4,364

-62.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.49

-41.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for North Charleston, SC: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $1,957 in North Charleston, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Charleston, SC pays 168% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $86.0 in North Charleston, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $413 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 North Charleston, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and North Charleston, SC differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $2,688 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 168% lower in North Charleston, SC. 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,957 in North Charleston, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $760 in North Charleston, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,688 in North Charleston, SC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in North Charleston, SC. 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 North Charleston, SC 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 21% less than in North Charleston, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.