Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $3,533 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $5,549 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $7,565 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 37% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Seattle, WA 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$25.41 $25.41

-37.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$121 $121

-48.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$13.81 $13.81

-23.68%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$5.86 $5.86

-52.73%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$3.00 $3.00

-24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.41 $2.41

-35.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$7.90 $7.90

-55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$8.20 $8.20

-51.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.40 $1.40

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$4.90 $4.90

-63.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$5.18 $5.18

-65.83%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$6.85 $6.85

-54.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$24.93 $24.93

-46.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$15.69 $15.69

-49.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$20.12 $20.12

-20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$6.01 $6.01

-62.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.84 $2.84

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$5.37 $5.37

-63.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$6.67 $6.67

-63.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$3.14 $3.14

-43.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$3.69 $3.69

-46.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.79 $2.79

-29.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$2.65 $2.65

-69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$11.31 $11.31

-42.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$15.53 $15.53

-62.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$2.87 $2.87

-54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$4.20 $4.20

-28.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$2.78 $2.78

-15.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$97.0 $97.0

-52.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$2.60 $2.60

63.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$1.67 $1.67

-49.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$29.75 $29.75

-36.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.14 $1.14

81.58%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$33.4K $33.4K

5.61%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

46.54%

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

$151 €132

$263 $263

-42.45%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$61.1 $61.1

-65.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$74.6 $74.6

-47.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$79.7 $79.7

-39.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

$41.05 $41.05

-54.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$15.81 $15.81

-42.82%

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

$610 €532

$2,289 $2,289

-73.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$29.6K $29.6K

-45.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$68.1 $68.1

48.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$52.1 $52.1

-22.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$117 $117

-20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$139 $139

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$2,377 $2,377

-32.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$1,874 $1,874

-33.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$4,755 $4,755

-36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$3,575 $3,575

-42.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$8,026 $8,026

-0.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$5,203 $5,203

-12.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$6,621 $6,621

-75.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.42

-40.65%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $2,377 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 307% 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 $121 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $540 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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Seattle, WA differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $3,533 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 307% 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $2,377 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $2,289 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,217 in Lisbon versus $3,533 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 59% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.