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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,669 in Lowell, MA versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,314 in Lowell, MA versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,958 in Lowell, MA versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Lowell, MA is roughly 17% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lowell, MA 101% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.02 $19.02

$15.75 €13.64

20.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$63.5 €55.0

25.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 $8.86

$10.45 €9.05

-15.22%

Cappuccino

$4.60 $4.60

$2.91 €2.52

58.08%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$2.29 €1.98

-15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.50 €1.30

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.56 €3.09

73.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 $7.46

$3.96 €3.43

88.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.08 €0.94

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.76 €1.53

22.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.70 €1.47

85.29%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$3.25 €2.81

20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$13.25 €11.47

-18.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$7.70 €6.67

17.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.90 $20.90

$15.77 €13.66

32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.28 €1.97

21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.66 €1.43

-27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.02 €1.75

190.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.47 €2.14

143.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.79 €1.55

-8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.07 €1.79

115.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.97 €1.71

52.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.83 €0.72

173.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 $11.12

$6.55 €5.68

69.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$5.57 €4.82

167.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.33 €1.15

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.01 €2.60

-31.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.27 €1.97

-18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 $54.4

$46.35 €40.14

17.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.23 €3.66

-7.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.85 €0.73

103.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.08 $29.08

$18.83 €16.31

54.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.02 €1.75

-54.95%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K €30.3K

-14.09%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$39.6K €34.3K

-34.29%

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

$192 $192

$148 €128

29.95%

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

$51.3 $51.3

$20.52 €17.77

150.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$39.52 €34.23

61.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 $40.53

$48.17 €41.72

-15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.47 $14.47

$9.10 €7.88

59.01%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$615 €532

125.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$16.3K €14.1K

43.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$102 €88.0

-48.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.40 $32.40

$42.09 €36.45

-23.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 $66.5

$92.3 €79.9

-27.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$122 €106

-43.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 $1,623

$1,612 €1,396

0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,254 €1,086

14.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,633 $3,633

$3,069 €2,658

18.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 $3,122

$2,037 €1,764

53.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,454 $3,454

$7,751 €6,712

-55.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,923 $3,923

$1,602 €1,387

144.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.81

69.29%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,623 in Lowell, MA and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lowell, MA pays 145% 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: $79.0 in Lowell, MA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $267 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

Lowell, MA vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lowell, MA and Lisbon differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,669 vs $2,280 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 145% higher in Lowell, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,623 in Lowell, MA versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,387 in Lowell, MA versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Lowell, 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, Lowell, MA and Lisbon 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 17% less than in Lowell, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.