Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Roanoke, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Roanoke, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,893 in Roanoke, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,817 in Roanoke, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,742 in Roanoke, VA.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 18% more expensive than Roanoke, VA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Roanoke, VA 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$19.91 $19.91

-18.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$73.9 $73.9

-12.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$10.84 $10.84

-4.24%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.98 $4.98

-44.38%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.21 $2.21

1.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.01 $2.01

-21.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$3.76 $3.76

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$3.97 $3.97

0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.94 $0.94

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.13 $3.13

-44.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.68 $3.68

-52.72%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.80 $2.80

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.43 $9.43

42.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$7.59 $7.59

5.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$14.80 $14.80

8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.15 $4.15

-45.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.18 $1.18

45.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$3.17 $3.17

-38.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$4.42 $4.42

-42.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.99 $1.99

-8.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.74 $2.74

-25.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.70 $1.70

16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.88 $1.88

-54.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$8.92 $8.92

-23.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$11.03 $11.03

-47.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.75 $1.75

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.35 $1.35

114.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.35 $1.35

68.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$84.4 $84.4

-44.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.48 $2.48

64.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.52 $1.52

-46.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$22.23 $22.23

-17.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.87 $0.87

131.03%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$22.9K $22.9K

54.02%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

53.31%

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

$145 €124

$157 $157

-7.55%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$53.0 $53.0

-60.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$63.6 $63.6

-37.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$16.33 $16.33

198.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$12.20 $12.20

-25.74%

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

$607 €519

$404 $404

50.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$30.3K $30.3K

-46.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$28.82 $28.82

263.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$22.01 $22.01

86.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$78.3 $78.3

19.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$103 $103

15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,389 $1,389

15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$777 $777

58.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$2,020 $2,020

50.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,214 $1,214

69.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$2,015 $2,015

282.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,989 $1,989

114.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$3,276 $3,276

-51.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.52

-41.56%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Roanoke, VA: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,389 in Roanoke, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roanoke, VA pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $74.0 in Roanoke, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $314 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 Roanoke, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Roanoke, VA differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,893 including rent). Roanoke, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Roanoke, VA earns 107% 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 $1,389 in Roanoke, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $404 in Roanoke, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,893 in Roanoke, VA versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Roanoke, VA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Roanoke, VA 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 Roanoke, 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 Roanoke, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.