Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shelby, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Shelby, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,963 in Shelby, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,711 in Shelby, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $3,459 in Shelby, NC.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 14% more expensive than Shelby, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 67% above, Shelby, NC 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$13.90 $13.90

13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$35.26 $35.26

79.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$9.30 $9.30

10.97%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$3.72 $3.72

-24.46%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$1.46 $1.46

59.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.22 $1.22

23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$2.56 $2.56

31.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$2.97 $2.97

31.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.81 $0.81

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.67 $2.67

-34.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$3.44 $3.44

-49.13%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$4.29 $4.29

-27.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$9.52 $9.52

39.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$12.78 $12.78

-38.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$22.83 $22.83

-29.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$5.02 $5.02

-52.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.84 $1.84

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$5.08 $5.08

-61.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$3.12 $3.12

-18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.35 $3.35

-46.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$4.74 $4.74

-58.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$2.01 $2.01

-2.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$1.80 $1.80

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$8.80 $8.80

-22.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$15.03 $15.03

-61.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.03 $2.03

-32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.64 $2.64

10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$1.99 $1.99

15.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$2.04 $2.04

101.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$2.39 $2.39

-66.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$17.84 $17.84

6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.77 $0.77

171.43%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$23.7K $23.7K

47.97%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$22.0K $22.0K

80.15%

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

$150 €128

$223 $223

-33.06%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$34.99 $34.99

-41.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$49.11 $49.11

-20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$42.39 $42.39

17.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$14.94 $14.94

-38.42%

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

$624 €533

$305 $305

104.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$22.4K $22.4K

-28.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$49.97 $49.97

104.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$34.85 $34.85

17.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$70.1 $70.1

36.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$80.6 $80.6

50.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$1,572 $1,572

5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$820 $820

50.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$2,578 $2,578

18.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$1,152 $1,152

78.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,496 $2,496

215.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$2,447 $2,447

75.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$2,501 $2,501

-37.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.38

-40.28%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Shelby, NC: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $1,572 in Shelby, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shelby, NC pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $35 in Shelby, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $393, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Shelby, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Shelby, NC differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $1,963 including rent). Shelby, NC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Shelby, NC earns 60% 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $1,572 in Shelby, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 46% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,963 in Shelby, NC – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Shelby, NC 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 Shelby, NC 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 Shelby, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.