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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,965 in Northampton, MA versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,315 in Northampton, MA versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,664 in Northampton, MA versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Northampton, MA is roughly 32% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Northampton, MA 121% above, Lisbon 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 $17.23

$15.73 €13.42

9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$63.2 €53.9

27.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 $9.53

$10.32 €8.80

-7.66%

Cappuccino

$4.41 $4.41

$2.81 €2.40

56.94%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$2.33 €1.99

-5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.51 €1.29

7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.37 €2.87

48.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.91 €3.34

55.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 €0.92

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.75 €1.49

128.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.75 €1.50

222.86%

Eggs

$5.45 $5.45

$3.10 €2.64

75.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.28 €11.33

6.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$7.85 €6.70

85.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.75 $17.75

$16.05 €13.69

10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.39 €2.04

99.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.72 €1.47

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.97 €1.68

82.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.55 €2.17

87.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.79 €1.53

62.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.97 €1.68

46.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.96 €1.67

66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.84 €0.71

117.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 $14.51

$6.82 €5.82

112.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$5.85 €4.99

156.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.38 €1.18

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.92 €2.49

-30.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.29 €1.95

-11.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 $4.86

$4.12 €3.51

17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.81 €0.69

156.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.46 $27.46

$18.94 €16.16

44.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.09 €1.78

-62.20%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.1K €30.0K

-14.02%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$39.7K €33.9K

-36.37%

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

$135 $135

$150 €128

-10.03%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$20.49 €17.48

185.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$39.15 €33.40

94.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 $53.5

$49.65 €42.35

7.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$9.20 €7.84

61.63%

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

$1,412 $1,412

$624 €533

126.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$15.9K €13.6K

78.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.16 $23.16

$102 €87.2

-77.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.04 $46.04

$40.88 €34.87

12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$95.7 €81.6

-11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$121 €103

-16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 $2,066

$1,653 €1,410

25.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$1,233 €1,051

44.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,677 $2,677

$3,043 €2,596

-12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,829 $2,829

$2,059 €1,756

37.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,750 $2,750

$4,303 €3,671

-36.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,862 $3,862

$1,566 €1,336

146.58%

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 Northampton, MA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,066 in Northampton, MA and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Northampton, MA pays 147% 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: $80 in Northampton, MA vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 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

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

Northampton, MA and Lisbon differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($2,965 vs $2,243 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Northampton, MA pays 147% more on average, 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: $2,066 in Northampton, MA versus $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Northampton, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,965 per month in Northampton, MA versus $2,243 in Lisbon – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Northampton, 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 32% less than in Northampton, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.