Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Suffolk, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Suffolk, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $2,223 in Suffolk, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $3,263 in Suffolk, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $4,303 in Suffolk, VA.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 2% more expensive than in Suffolk, VA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Suffolk, VA 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.09

$19.92 $19.92

-11.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.5

$78.5 $78.5

-17.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.01

$12.23 $12.23

-4.74%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.80

$4.55 $4.55

-28.35%

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

$2.49 €2.14

$1.96 $1.96

27.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.96 $1.96

-14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.99 $3.99

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.07

$5.35 $5.35

-33.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.06 $1.06

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.34 $2.34

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$2.59 $2.59

-39.77%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.45

$3.93 $3.93

2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.41

$18.85 $18.85

-29.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.24

$5.33 $5.33

57.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.68

$17.92 $17.92

1.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.87 $3.87

-40.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.10 $1.10

57.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.91 $1.91

1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.47 $4.47

-40.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.64 $2.64

-28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.12 $2.12

-0.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.72 $1.72

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$3.08 $3.08

-74.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.03

$8.87 $8.87

-20.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.09

$14.85 $14.85

-60.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.75 $1.75

-22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.70 $3.70

-41.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.91 $1.91

24.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.60

$4.08 $4.08

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.94

$2.05 $2.05

-46.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.84

$24.97 $24.97

-30.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.93

$0.91 $0.91

147.25%

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

$34.5K €29.6K

$36.8K $36.8K

-6.25%

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

$41.6K €35.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

65.16%

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

$171 €147

$152 $152

12.54%

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

$19.01 €16.34

$52.2 $52.2

-63.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.48

$81.5 $81.5

-57.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.69

$40.07 $40.07

23.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.77

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.68

$15.14 $15.14

-33.29%

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

$699 €601

$876 $876

-20.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

-24.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.9

$47.88 $47.88

118.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.24

$49.03 $49.03

-2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$98.7 $98.7

3.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$133 $133

-3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,428

$1,240 $1,240

33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,056

$1,077 $1,077

14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,506

$2,020 $2,020

44.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,740

$1,671 $1,671

21.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €6,989

$2,755 $2,755

195.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,985

$2,337 $2,337

98.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,392

$4,392 $4,392

-63.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.68

-33.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Suffolk, VA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,240 in Suffolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suffolk, VA pays 171% 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 $79.0 in Suffolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $355 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 Suffolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Suffolk, VA differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $2,223 including rent). Suffolk, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 171% lower in Suffolk, VA. 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 $1,240 in Suffolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 26% 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 $2,223 in Suffolk, VA – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,223 in Suffolk, VA versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Suffolk, VA but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Suffolk, VA 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 Suffolk, VA 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 Suffolk, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.