Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and South Portland, ME Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and South Portland, ME

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $2,823 in South Portland, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $4,103 in South Portland, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $5,382 in South Portland, ME.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 21% less than in South Portland, ME, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 67% above, South Portland, ME 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$19.81 $19.81

-20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$69.3 $69.3

-8.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$11.81 $11.81

-12.62%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$4.88 $4.88

-42.42%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$2.79 $2.79

-16.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.32 $2.32

-34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$5.87 $5.87

-42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$6.87 $6.87

-43.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.92 $0.92

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$3.44 $3.44

-49.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$5.64 $5.64

-68.97%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$3.97 $3.97

-21.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$16.54 $16.54

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$10.52 $10.52

-25.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$16.33 $16.33

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$3.44 $3.44

-30.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.45 $1.45

18.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$4.05 $4.05

-51.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$7.64 $7.64

-66.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.24 $3.24

-44.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$3.01 $3.01

-34.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.86 $1.86

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$1.64 $1.64

-48.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$12.32 $12.32

-44.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$15.06 $15.06

-61.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.78 $1.78

-22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.97 $2.97

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$1.98 $1.98

15.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$2.03 $2.03

102.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.70 $1.70

-52.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$28.88 $28.88

-34.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.91 $0.91

129.67%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$27.4K $27.4K

27.99%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$24.9K $24.9K

59.47%

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

$150 €128

$208 $208

-28.09%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$55.4 $55.4

-63.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$67.1 $67.1

-41.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$43.12 $43.12

15.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$30.01 $30.01

-38.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$15.21 $15.21

-39.51%

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

$624 €533

$394 $394

58.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$14.7K $14.7K

8.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$48.03 $48.03

112.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$33.45 $33.45

22.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$85.6 $85.6

11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$134 $134

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$1,981 $1,981

-16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$1,551 $1,551

-20.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$3,289 $3,289

-7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$2,608 $2,608

-21.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,678 $2,678

194.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$2,406 $2,406

78.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$4,201 $4,201

-62.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.71

-43.22%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for South Portland, ME: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $1,981 in South Portland, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

South Portland, ME pays 168% 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 in Lisbon vs $69 in South Portland, ME for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $402 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 South Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and South Portland, ME differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $2,823 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, South Portland, ME earns 168% 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 $1,981 in South Portland, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in South Portland, ME. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $2,823 in South Portland, ME – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon 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 South Portland, ME 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 26% less than in South Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.