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: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,358 in Union, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $3,424 in Union, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $4,491 in Union, SC.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 6% less than in Union, SC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Union, SC 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$9.08 $9.08

73.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$101 $101

-38.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$8.52 $8.52

23.71%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$5.79 $5.79

-52.16%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$2.32 $2.32

-1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.84 $1.84

-15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.72 $2.72

30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.59 $3.59

10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.03 $1.03

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.51 $2.51

-29.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.45 $2.45

-27.76%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.05 $3.05

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$9.03 $9.03

47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$8.86 $8.86

-9.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$9.70 $9.70

64.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.79 $2.79

-18.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.29 $1.29

27.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$3.34 $3.34

-40.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.29 $4.29

-42.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.64 $2.64

-32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.11 $2.11

-6.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.69 $1.69

16.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.24 $1.24

-35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$7.33 $7.33

-10.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$8.85 $8.85

-35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.73 $1.73

-23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$4.80 $4.80

-37.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.95 $1.95

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$4.54 $4.54

-6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.26 $2.26

-62.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$42.97 $42.97

-56.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.81 $0.81

155.56%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$34.0K $34.0K

3.65%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$24.0K $24.0K

60.84%

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

$151 €130

$174 $174

-13.17%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$66.7 $66.7

-68.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$44.24 $44.24

-10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$42.43 $42.43

14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$12.86 $12.86

-29.70%

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

$610 €525

$2,619 $2,619

-76.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$26.5K $26.5K

-38.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$48.38 $48.38

109.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$20.82 $20.82

94.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$83.6 $83.6

11.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$101 $101

17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,604 $1,604

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$1,363 $1,363

-9.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$2,587 $2,587

16.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$2,200 $2,200

-6.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$2,577 $2,577

209.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$2,274 $2,274

99.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$2,494 $2,494

-34.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-4.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Union, SC: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $1,604 in Union, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Union, SC pays 53% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $101 in Union, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 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

Lisbon and Union, SC differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $2,358 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Union, SC earns 53% 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,604 in Union, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Union, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $2,358 in Union, SC – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,217 in Lisbon versus $2,358 in Union, SC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Union, SC. 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 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.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Union, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.