Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Silver Spring, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Silver Spring, MD, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Silver Spring, MD
🇺🇸 United States
$2,701
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Silver Spring, MD

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 Silver Spring, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Silver Spring, MD $2,701

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,945 in Silver Spring, MD.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Silver Spring, MD $3,945

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $5,190 in Silver Spring, MD.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Silver Spring, MD $5,190

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 18% less than in Silver Spring, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Silver Spring, MD 98% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$13.30 $13.30
25.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$89.1 $89.1
-30.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$7.38 $7.38
53.93%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$5.92 $5.92
-49.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$2.83 $2.83
-19.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.47 $2.47
-29.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$7.80 $7.80
-56.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$8.41 $8.41
-60.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.20 $1.20
-3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$4.41 $4.41
-56.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$5.32 $5.32
-71.62%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$5.07 $5.07
-20.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$16.40 $16.40
-21.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$15.44 $15.44
-49.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$19.22 $19.22
-7.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$4.82 $4.82
-52.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.65 $1.65
4.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$4.61 $4.61
-59.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$5.23 $5.23
-50.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$2.94 $2.94
-38.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.08 $2.08
-5.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.11 $2.11
-30.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$2.68 $2.68
-73.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$9.52 $9.52
-30.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$15.02 $15.02
-62.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.71 $1.71
-20.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.78 $2.78
-23.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$3.91 $3.91
-40.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$87.7 $87.7
-49.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$3.91 $3.91
-1.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.21 $1.21
-11.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$25.03 $25.03
-34.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.02 $1.02
115.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$27.5K $27.5K
24.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$25.3K $25.3K
53.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$153 $153
5.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$48.89 $48.89
-62.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$62.0 $62.0
-47.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$26.12 $26.12
70.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$21.62 $21.62
-11.66%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$16.45 $16.45
-41.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$1,901 $1,901
-64.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$35.9K $35.9K
-50.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$46.59 $46.59
118.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$36.93 $36.93
20.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$101 $101
-2.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$121 $121
2.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$1,884 $1,884
-14.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$1,393 $1,393
-14.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$3,859 $3,859
-27.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$2,154 $2,154
-6.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$4,239 $4,239
84.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$3,104 $3,104
47.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Silver Spring, MD
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$5,138 $5,138
-69.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.72
-42.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Silver Spring, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Silver Spring, MD
$1.4K 17% $203
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Silver Spring, MD
$458 68.2% $186
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Silver Spring, MD
$277 14% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Silver Spring, MD
$264 24.1% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Silver Spring, MD
$137 17.1% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Silver Spring, MD
$59 7.4% $4.7
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Silver Spring, MD
$113 79.2% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,884 in Silver Spring, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Silver Spring, MD pays about 3.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $89 in Silver Spring, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $458 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Silver Spring, MD
🕒 Local time
23:15 11:15 PM
19:15 7:15 PM
4 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
71,452
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Silver Spring, MD 5,730 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Silver Spring, MD

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Silver Spring, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Silver Spring, MD?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,701 in Silver Spring, MD, so Lisbon is about 18% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Silver Spring, MD?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,884 in Silver Spring, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Silver Spring, MD?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $1,901 in Silver Spring, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Silver Spring, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Silver Spring, MD?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Silver Spring, MD?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Silver Spring, MD?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Silver Spring, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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