Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,149 in Northam versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,223 in Northam versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,296 in Northam versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Northam costs roughly 4% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Northam 60% above, Lisbon 67% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.31 A$22.83
$15.73 โ‚ฌ13.42
3.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.7 A$110
$63.2 โ‚ฌ53.9
24.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.22 A$14.31
$10.32 โ‚ฌ8.80
-0.97%
Cappuccino
$3.72 A$5.21
$2.81 โ‚ฌ2.40
32.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 A$3.62
$2.33 โ‚ฌ1.99
11.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 A$2.77
$1.51 โ‚ฌ1.29
31.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.58 A$10.61
$3.37 โ‚ฌ2.87
124.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.62 A$9.27
$3.91 โ‚ฌ3.34
69.31%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.03
$1.08 โ‚ฌ0.92
34.26%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 A$3.39
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.49
38.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 A$2.74
$1.75 โ‚ฌ1.50
12.00%
Eggs
$4.14 A$5.80
$3.10 โ‚ฌ2.64
33.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.97 A$8.36
$13.28 โ‚ฌ11.33
-55.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.56 A$11.99
$7.85 โ‚ฌ6.70
9.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.60 A$19.04
$16.05 โ‚ฌ13.69
-15.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.58 A$3.61
$2.39 โ‚ฌ2.04
7.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.89 A$4.05
$1.72 โ‚ฌ1.47
68.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 A$4.16
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.68
50.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.59 A$6.42
$2.55 โ‚ฌ2.17
80.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.53 A$3.54
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.53
41.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 A$2.48
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.68
-10.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.94 A$2.71
$1.96 โ‚ฌ1.67
-1.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 A$0.92
$0.84 โ‚ฌ0.71
-21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.91 A$44.67
$6.82 โ‚ฌ5.82
367.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.61 A$5.05
$5.85 โ‚ฌ4.99
-38.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.78 A$5.29
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.18
173.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 A$5.76
$2.92 โ‚ฌ2.49
40.75%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.64 A$3.70
$2.29 โ‚ฌ1.95
15.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.8 A$89.3
$46.88 โ‚ฌ39.99
35.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.06 A$5.68
$4.12 โ‚ฌ3.51
-1.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 A$3.11
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
174.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$48.53 A$67.9
$18.94 โ‚ฌ16.16
156.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.62
$2.09 โ‚ฌ1.78
-44.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K A$40.7K
$35.1K โ‚ฌ30.0K
-17.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K A$34.3K
$39.7K โ‚ฌ33.9K
-38.33%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 A$218
$150 โ‚ฌ128
3.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.72 A$31.81
$20.49 โ‚ฌ17.48
10.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.4 A$76.2
$39.15 โ‚ฌ33.40
39.03%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.22 A$68.9
$49.65 โ‚ฌ42.35
-0.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.51 A$21.71
$18.47 โ‚ฌ15.76
-16.03%
Cinema Ticket
$16.24 A$22.74
$9.20 โ‚ฌ7.84
76.52%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,803 A$2,524
$624 โ‚ฌ533
188.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K A$16.7K
$15.9K โ‚ฌ13.6K
-24.97%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 A$100
$102 โ‚ฌ87.2
-30.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.27 A$67.6
$40.88 โ‚ฌ34.87
18.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 A$143
$95.7 โ‚ฌ81.6
6.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 A$147
$121 โ‚ฌ103
-13.48%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,273 A$1,782
$1,653 โ‚ฌ1,410
-23.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,045 A$1,463
$1,233 โ‚ฌ1,051
-15.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,002 A$2,803
$3,043 โ‚ฌ2,596
-34.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 A$2,391
$2,059 โ‚ฌ1,756
-17.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,236 A$8,730
$7,879 โ‚ฌ6,720
-20.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,040 A$7,056
$4,303 โ‚ฌ3,671
17.12%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Northam
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,566 โ‚ฌ1,336
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.42
3.81
68.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Northam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in Northam and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79 in Northam vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $270 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
Northam vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Northam and Lisbon?
Northam and Lisbon differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,149 vs $2,243 including rent). Northam is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Northam compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $3,224 in Northam and $3,365 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Northam and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,273 in Northam versus $1,653 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 Northam and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,803 in Northam versus $624 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?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $2,149 in Northam versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Northam but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Northam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Northam and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Northam or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Northam 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.
Where should expats move: Northam or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Northam gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 4% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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