Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $4,225 in Long Island, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Long Island, NY, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Long Island, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,225
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Long Island, NY and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Long Island, NY and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,225 in Long Island, NY versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Long Island, NY $4,225
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,930 in Long Island, NY versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Long Island, NY $5,930
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,634 in Long Island, NY versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Long Island, NY $7,634
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Long Island, NY is roughly 91% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Island, NY 210% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.14 $25.14
$16.65 €14.92
50.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.5 $98.5
$61.7 €55.3
59.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.99 $10.99
$11.36 €10.18
-3.26%
Cappuccino
$5.08 $5.08
$2.97 €2.66
71.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.29 €2.05
-6.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.74 €1.56
-9.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.02 $8.02
$3.40 €3.05
135.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.91 $7.91
$3.31 €2.97
138.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 $1.32
$1.16 €1.04
13.79%
White Bread (500g)
$4.26 $4.26
$1.91 €1.71
123.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.51 €1.36
28.48%
Eggs
$5.26 $5.26
$4.02 €3.60
30.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.21 $7.21
$12.94 €11.59
-44.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.89 $11.89
$7.77 €6.97
53.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$17.76 €15.92
-8.67%
Apples (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$2.30 €2.06
85.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.73 €1.55
-30.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 $2.07
$1.86 €1.66
11.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.16 $6.16
$2.59 €2.32
137.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.82 €1.63
-41.21%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.97 €1.76
10.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 $1.48
$1.47 €1.32
0.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 $2.85
$0.72 €0.65
295.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.85 $11.85
$6.58 €5.90
80.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.58 $17.58
$5.61 €5.02
213.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.36 €1.22
29.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 $4.09
$2.14 €1.91
91.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.97 $2.97
$2.33 €2.09
27.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$130 $130
$44.68 €40.04
189.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 $2.99
$3.85 €3.45
-22.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.07 €0.96
86.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.41 $24.41
$16.46 €14.75
48.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$2.20 €1.97
-49.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$34.2K €30.6K
-19.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$38.7K €34.7K
-32.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 $192
$161 €144
18.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.26 $48.26
$18.41 €16.50
162.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.7 $53.7
$32.74 €29.34
64.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.30 $31.30
$44.55 €39.92
-29.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$102 $102
$19.10 €17.11
433.51%
Cinema Ticket
$14.69 $14.69
$9.60 €8.60
53.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,444 $2,444
$668 €598
266.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.5K $23.5K
$17.6K €15.8K
33.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.07 $40.07
$102 €91.4
-60.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.7 $56.7
$44.46 €39.85
27.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.3 $76.3
$98.5 €88.3
-22.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155 $155
$124 €111
25.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,189 $3,189
$1,608 €1,441
98.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,820 $2,820
$1,190 €1,066
136.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,670 $5,670
$2,812 €2,520
101.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,315 $4,315
$2,013 €1,804
114.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,973 $5,973
$7,839 €7,025
-23.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,241 $4,241
$4,576 €4,100
-7.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Long Island, NY
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,981 $4,981
$1,575 €1,411
216.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.63
3.85
72.21%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Long Island, NY
$2.8K
Lisbon
$1.2K 57.8% $1.6K
Groceries & Markets
Long Island, NY
$382
Lisbon
$272 28.7% $109
Eating Out
Long Island, NY
$366
Lisbon
$243 33.7% $123
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Long Island, NY
$294
Lisbon
$212 27.7% $81
Getting Around
Long Island, NY
$154
Lisbon
$63 59.1% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Long Island, NY
$148
Lisbon
$166 12.2% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Long Island, NY
$61
Lisbon
$64 5% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,189 in Long Island, NY and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Island, NY pays about 3.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Long Island, NY vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Long Island, NY
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
22:12 10:12 PM
03:12 3:12 AM
5 h ahead of Long Island, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,804,968
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Long Island, NY Lisbon 5,350 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Long Island, NY
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Long Island, NY vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Long Island, NY and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $4,225 in Long Island, NY and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Lisbon is about 48% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Long Island, NY or Lisbon?
Average pay in Long Island, NY is about 3.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Long Island, NY and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,189 in Long Island, NY versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Long Island, NY and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $2,444 in Long Island, NY versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Long Island, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $4,225 in Long Island, NY, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Long Island, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Long Island, NY and Lisbon?
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.
Is Long Island, NY or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Long Island, NY and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Long Island, NY or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Long Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Long Island, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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