Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Waltham, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Waltham, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $3,968 in Waltham, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $6,146 in Waltham, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $8,324 in Waltham, MA.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 42% less than in Waltham, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Waltham, MA 197% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$19.37 $19.37

-16.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$98.7 $98.7

-35.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$11.35 $11.35

-9.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.53 $4.53

-37.53%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$2.73 $2.73

-16.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$2.17 $2.17

-27.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$5.97 $5.97

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$7.69 $7.69

-47.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.28 $1.28

-14.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.40 $3.40

-48.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$3.97 $3.97

-55.67%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.75 $4.75

-33.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$16.26 $16.26

-18.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$10.46 $10.46

-23.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$20.35 $20.35

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$5.69 $5.69

-58.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.24 $2.24

-23.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$5.65 $5.65

-64.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$7.77 $7.77

-68.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$4.32 $4.32

-59.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.43 $2.43

-16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.84 $2.84

-32.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.52 $1.52

-44.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.94 $10.94

-39.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$15.23 $15.23

-63.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.17 $2.17

-38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.95 $2.95

0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.23 $2.23

2.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$60.1 $60.1

-23.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.66 $2.66

59.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.75 $1.75

-53.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$27.77 $27.77

-33.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.90 $0.90

131.11%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$29.6K $29.6K

16.99%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.7K $24.7K

58.59%

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

$148 €130

$321 $321

-53.82%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$57.2 $57.2

-64.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$77.2 $77.2

-48.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$43.50 $43.50

10.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$14.78 $14.78

-37.62%

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

$616 €540

$1,504 $1,504

-59.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$27.4K $27.4K

-39.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$67.1 $67.1

53.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$31.94 $31.94

30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$66.9 $66.9

41.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$84.8 $84.8

43.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$2,703 $2,703

-39.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$2,536 $2,536

-51.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$4,331 $4,331

-28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$5,072 $5,072

-59.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$5,127 $5,127

-68.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.43

-40.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Waltham, MA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $2,703 in Waltham, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waltham, MA pays 219% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $99.0 in Waltham, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $442 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 Waltham, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Waltham, MA differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $3,968 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 219% lower in Waltham, MA. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $2,703 in Waltham, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $1,504 in Waltham, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Waltham, MA. 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 Waltham, MA 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 73% less than in Waltham, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.