Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Starkville, MS Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Starkville, MS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,773 in Starkville, MS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,677 in Starkville, MS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,581 in Starkville, MS.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 28% more expensive than in Starkville, MS, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Starkville, MS 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$15.21 $15.21

15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$60.3 $60.3

6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$8.08 $8.08

44.18%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.27 $4.27

-23.65%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.46 $2.46

1.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.92 $1.92

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.11 $4.11

-15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$7.02 $7.02

-49.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.82 $0.82

43.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.89 $2.89

-32.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.71 $2.71

-42.44%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.53 $4.53

-11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$9.72 $9.72

36.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$9.83 $9.83

-14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$14.84 $14.84

22.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.89 $3.89

-40.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.38 $1.38

25.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$3.77 $3.77

-48.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.96 $2.96

-10.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.16 $2.16

-12.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.20 $2.20

-4.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.23 $2.23

-35.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.87 $1.87

-57.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$8.56 $8.56

-18.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$10.09 $10.09

-41.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.70 $1.70

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.31 $3.31

-35.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.22 $4.22

-0.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.92 $1.92

-42.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$31.92 $31.92

-45.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.82 $0.82

174.39%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-1.39%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$25.2K $25.2K

65.05%

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

$171 €147

$169 $169

1.24%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$29.47 $29.47

-35.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$52.6 $52.6

-34.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$17.48 $17.48

184.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.17 $8.17

23.62%

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

$699 €603

$1,568 $1,568

-55.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,383 $8,383

111.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$75.1 $75.1

39.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$52.7 $52.7

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$87.1 $87.1

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$171 $171

-25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$917 $917

81.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$732 $732

67.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,582 $1,582

84.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,346 $1,346

50.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,208 $2,208

268.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,206 $2,206

110.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$4,154 $4,154

-61.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.23

-39.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Starkville, MS: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $917 in Starkville, MS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Starkville, MS pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in Starkville, MS. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $324, 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 Starkville, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Starkville, MS differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,773 including rent). Starkville, MS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Starkville, MS. 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $917 in Starkville, MS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,773 in Starkville, MS – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,773 in Starkville, MS versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Starkville, MS but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Starkville, MS 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 Starkville, MS 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 Starkville, MS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.