Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sterling Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sterling

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,702 in Sterling.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $3,957 in Sterling.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $5,211 in Sterling.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 18% less than in Sterling, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Sterling 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$20.26 $20.26

-20.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$84.0 $84.0

-23.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$13.22 $13.22

-21.48%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$5.44 $5.44

-49.08%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.73 $2.73

-17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$2.32 $2.32

-32.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$5.93 $5.93

-41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$7.72 $7.72

-48.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.90 $0.90

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.58 $3.58

-51.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.11 $2.11

-17.54%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$5.06 $5.06

-37.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$19.02 $19.02

-29.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$12.14 $12.14

-34.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$18.57 $18.57

-13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.69 $4.69

-51.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.33 $1.33

29.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$7.15 $7.15

-72.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$6.42 $6.42

-60.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.56 $3.56

-48.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.74 $2.74

-25.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.39 $2.39

-64.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$8.87 $8.87

-22.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$13.73 $13.73

-57.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.75 $1.75

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$4.89 $4.89

-40.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.01 $2.01

13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$4.39 $4.39

-7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.39 $1.39

-41.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$29.14 $29.14

-37.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$0.87 $0.87

131.03%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

31.89%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$24.3K $24.3K

58.52%

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

$145 €124

$212 $212

-31.36%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$53.6 $53.6

-60.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$72.9 $72.9

-45.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$28.61 $28.61

70.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$14.85 $14.85

-38.99%

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

$607 €519

$1,740 $1,740

-65.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$23.8K $23.8K

-31.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$47.46 $47.46

120.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$44.60 $44.60

-8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$97.9 $97.9

-4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$118 $118

0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$1,242 $1,242

29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$1,362 $1,362

-9.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,975 $1,975

54.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$2,205 $2,205

-6.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$3,221 $3,221

139.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$2,375 $2,375

79.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$3,819 $3,819

-58.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.57

-42.01%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sterling: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,242 in Sterling. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sterling pays 141% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $84.0 in Sterling for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $439 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 Sterling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sterling differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $2,702 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sterling earns 141% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,242 in Sterling. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Sterling. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $2,702 in Sterling – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $2,702 in Sterling, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Sterling. 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 Sterling 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 21% less than in Sterling. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.