Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $830 in Montana versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,325 in Montana versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,820 in Montana versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Montana costs roughly 64% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montana is 38% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 BGN 18.00

$16.19 €14.17

-33.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.78 BGN 57.9

$63.3 €55.4

-45.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 BGN 12.99

$10.32 €9.03

-24.32%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BGN 2.46

$2.83 €2.48

-47.70%

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

$1.40 BGN 2.33

$2.29 €2.00

-38.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.49

$1.58 €1.38

-43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$3.40 €2.98

-59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$4.03 €3.52

-73.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.09 €0.95

59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 BGN 1.56

$1.75 €1.53

-46.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.76 €1.54

3.41%

Eggs

$2.71 BGN 4.51

$3.17 €2.77

-14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 BGN 15.64

$13.19 €11.54

-28.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 BGN 5.47

$7.97 €6.97

-58.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 BGN 21.48

$15.53 €13.59

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 BGN 2.09

$2.37 €2.07

-46.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 BGN 4.18

$1.71 €1.49

46.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$2.01 €1.76

-4.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$2.43 €2.13

-17.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BGN 1.40

$1.76 €1.54

-52.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$2.03 €1.78

-61.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 BGN 2.26

$1.92 €1.68

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 BGN 0.92

$0.85 €0.74

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BGN 5.99

$6.58 €5.76

-45.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 BGN 9.60

$5.58 €4.88

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$1.33 €1.17

-30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.97 €2.60

-42.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$2.28 €1.99

-59.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.46 BGN 59.0

$45.79 €40.06

-22.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 BGN 1.12

$4.23 €3.70

-84.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 BGN 0.73

$0.81 €0.71

-45.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 BGN 17.22

$18.44 €16.13

-43.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$2.08 €1.82

-27.40%

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

$19.7K BGN 32.8K

$34.7K €30.3K

-43.07%

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

$24.4K BGN 40.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

-37.71%

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

$99.2 BGN 165

$148 €130

-33.00%

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

$17.07 BGN 28.40

$20.46 €17.90

-16.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.91 BGN 14.82

$39.56 €34.61

-77.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.57 BGN 34.22

$47.99 €41.99

-57.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 BGN 14.40

$18.60 €16.27

-53.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 BGN 9.25

$9.22 €8.07

-39.70%

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

$322 BGN 536

$616 €539

-47.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,484 BGN 9,123

$16.4K €14.4K

-66.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 BGN 89.8

$103 €89.9

-47.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.94 BGN 49.81

$41.74 €36.52

-28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 BGN 125

$94.8 €82.9

-20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 174

$122 €107

-14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 BGN 363

$1,633 €1,428

-86.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 BGN 265

$1,232 €1,078

-87.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 BGN 681

$3,098 €2,711

-86.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 BGN 506

$2,031 €1,777

-85.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 BGN 2,214

$7,831 €6,851

-83.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,109 BGN 1,845

$4,389 €3,840

-74.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 BGN 1,693

$1,607 €1,406

-36.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.81

-16.01%

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

Last update for Montana: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Montana and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 58% 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: $35.00 in Montana vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $267 per month, with Montana 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

Montana vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montana and Lisbon differ by about 176% in total monthly costs ($830 vs $2,291 including rent). Montana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Lisbon. 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: $218 in Montana versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $322 in Montana versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $830 in Montana versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montana but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Montana 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, Montana 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 Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.