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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,525 in Ottawa, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $3,707 in Ottawa, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,888 in Ottawa, IL.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 10% less than in Ottawa, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Ottawa, IL 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$14.94 $14.94

17.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$63.7 $63.7

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$8.14 $8.14

43.12%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.81 $4.81

-32.22%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.20 $2.20

13.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.09 $1.09

53.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.07 $5.07

-31.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$4.96 $4.96

-27.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.93 $0.93

26.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.40 $2.40

-18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$5.49 $5.49

-71.58%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.94 $3.94

1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$11.97 $11.97

10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$15.56 $15.56

-45.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$18.01 $18.01

1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.96 $4.96

-53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.63 $2.63

-34.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$5.31 $5.31

-63.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.63 $4.63

-42.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$3.58 $3.58

-46.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$3.00 $3.00

-29.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.94 $1.94

-25.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.93 $2.93

-72.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$12.12 $12.12

-42.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$12.86 $12.86

-53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.08 $2.08

-34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$4.59 $4.59

-53.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.95 $1.95

22.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.61 $4.61

-9.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.91 $2.91

-62.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$17.30 $17.30

-0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.07 $1.07

110.28%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$36.3K $36.3K

-5.01%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

55.90%

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

$171 €147

$229 $229

-25.50%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$52.1 $52.1

-63.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$65.0 $65.0

-47.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$37.77 $37.77

31.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$26.56 $26.56

-26.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$14.90 $14.90

-32.21%

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

$699 €603

$1,533 $1,533

-54.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$12.5K $12.5K

42.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$65.9 $65.9

58.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$32.31 $32.31

48.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$62.5 $62.5

63.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$100 $100

28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,624 $1,624

2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$1,146 $1,146

7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$2,329 $2,329

25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$2,003 $2,003

1.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,765 $2,765

194.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,617 $2,617

77.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$2,367 $2,367

-31.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.36

-40.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ottawa, IL: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,624 in Ottawa, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa, IL pays 46% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $64.0 in Ottawa, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $429 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 Ottawa, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Ottawa, IL differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $2,525 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Ottawa, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,624 in Ottawa, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Ottawa, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $2,525 in Ottawa, IL – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon 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 Ottawa, 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ottawa, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.