Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,203 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,203

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,203 in Lisbon versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA.

Lisbon $2,203
Seattle, WA $3,744

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,237 in Lisbon versus $5,703 in Seattle, WA.

Lisbon $3,237
Seattle, WA $5,703

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $7,661 in Seattle, WA.

Lisbon $4,272
Seattle, WA $7,661

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 41% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.01 €15.17

$24.56 $24.56

-30.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 €55.9

$99.5 $99.5

-36.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €10.18

$15.30 $15.30

-25.36%

Cappuccino

$3.09 €2.75

$6.62 $6.62

-53.32%

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

$2.37 €2.11

$3.25 $3.25

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.48

$3.11 $3.11

-46.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 €3.08

$7.77 $7.77

-55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.93

$7.93 $7.93

-58.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.04

$1.21 $1.21

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 €1.66

$4.94 $4.94

-62.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.35

$6.17 $6.17

-75.36%

Eggs

$3.88 €3.46

$4.96 $4.96

-21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 €11.48

$19.00 $19.00

-32.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.94 €7.08

$18.69 $18.69

-57.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 €15.72

$23.14 $23.14

-23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €2.01

$5.93 $5.93

-61.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.57

$1.94 $1.94

-9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 €1.68

$5.19 $5.19

-63.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.20

$6.55 $6.55

-62.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

$3.62 $3.62

-48.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.85

$3.16 $3.16

-34.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.24

$2.91 $2.91

-52.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.72

$2.38 $2.38

-65.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 €6.15

$12.36 $12.36

-44.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 €4.93

$15.02 $15.02

-63.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.19

$4.30 $4.30

-69.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.93

$5.69 $5.69

-61.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 €2.00

$3.05 $3.05

-26.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.14 €40.25

$109 $109

-58.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 €3.57

$2.64 $2.64

51.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.95

$1.74 $1.74

-38.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.53 €14.74

$30.02 $30.02

-44.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €2.02

$1.46 $1.46

54.79%

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

$33.5K €29.9K

$36.7K $36.7K

-8.80%

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

$40.5K €36.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

57.64%

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

$164 €146

$299 $299

-45.36%

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

$18.54 €16.53

$69.7 $69.7

-73.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.21 €29.61

$90.1 $90.1

-63.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 €41.02

$80.0 $80.0

-42.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.80 €16.77

$35.62 $35.62

-47.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 €8.44

$17.33 $17.33

-45.35%

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

$690 €615

$2,986 $2,986

-76.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K €15.0K

$31.3K $31.3K

-46.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €93.3

$77.7 $77.7

34.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.27 €40.37

$54.9 $54.9

-17.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 €88.2

$126 $126

-21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

$165 $165

-24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 €1,411

$2,407 $2,407

-34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 €1,078

$1,963 $1,963

-38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,833 €2,526

$4,788 $4,788

-40.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,964 €1,751

$3,561 $3,561

-44.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,643 €6,815

$7,430 $7,430

2.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,431 €3,951

$5,010 $5,010

-11.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,573 €1,402

$6,280 $6,280

-74.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

6.85

-44.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 54%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6% 62.3% $754

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$272 12.1%

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2% 98.9% $269

Eating Out

Lisbon

$247 11%

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6% 62.5% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$215 9.6%

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1% 113% $244

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$168 7.5%

Seattle, WA

$191 5% 13.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$65 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$115 3% 76.5% $50

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 108% $69

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Lisbon and $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 299% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $541 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

07:21 7:21 AM

23:21 11:21 PM

8 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

737,015

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Lisbon Seattle, WA 8,370 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Seattle, WA differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($2,203 vs $3,744 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 299% lower in Seattle, WA. 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: $1,583 in Lisbon versus $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $690 in Lisbon versus $2,986 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,203 in Lisbon versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. 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 Seattle, WA 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 70% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.