Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Union, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Union, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $2,299 in Union, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $3,437 in Union, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $4,575 in Union, SC.

Monthly costs are close between Lisbon and Union, SC; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Union, SC 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.32

$9.11 $9.11

93.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$98.6 $98.6

-36.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.09

$8.78 $8.78

31.89%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.69 $5.69

-45.52%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$2.29 $2.29

8.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.87 $1.87

-6.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.82 $2.82

23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.60 $3.60

-4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.10 $1.10

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.53 $2.53

-24.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.45 $2.45

-38.78%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.05 $3.05

30.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.58

$8.86 $8.86

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.68 $8.68

-7.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.71

$9.64 $9.64

87.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.83 $2.83

-16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.29 $1.29

35.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.20 $3.20

-42.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.48 $4.48

-43.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.40 $2.40

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.03 $2.03

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.70 $1.70

-12.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.29 $1.29

-36.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$8.17 $8.17

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$8.49 $8.49

-30.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.80 $1.80

-27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$5.08 $5.08

-58.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.85 $1.85

27.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$4.38 $4.38

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.10 $3.10

-63.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.89

$34.50 $34.50

-50.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.92 $0.92

151.09%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

7.10%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

66.48%

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

$169 €147

$180 $180

-6.62%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$64.6 $64.6

-70.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.19

$45.86 $45.86

-26.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.54

$41.00 $41.00

19.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.93

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$12.89 $12.89

-25.76%

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

$696 €606

$2,607 $2,607

-73.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$22.9K $22.9K

-24.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$48.74 $48.74

116.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.59

$21.16 $21.16

125.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$84.9 $84.9

18.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$99.9 $99.9

24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,447

$1,663 $1,663

-0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$1,409 $1,409

-11.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,582

$2,160 $2,160

37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,784

$2,271 $2,271

-9.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,823

$2,842 $2,842

175.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,888

$2,238 $2,238

99.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,421

$2,454 $2,454

-33.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-5.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Union, SC: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,663 in Union, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Union, SC pays 50% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $99.0 in Union, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $284 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 Union, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Union, SC. 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,663 in Union, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $2,607 in Union, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Union, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 Union, SC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Union, SC on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.