Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochdale and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochdale and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,176 in Rochdale versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,388 in Rochdale versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Rochdale versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Rochdale costs roughly 2% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rochdale 62% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.09 £16.46
$15.91 €13.70
38.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.7 £70.5
$64.8 €55.8
46.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 £7.05
$10.51 €9.05
-9.90%
Cappuccino
$4.63 £3.45
$2.87 €2.47
61.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 £1.66
$2.24 €1.93
-0.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 £1.25
$1.50 €1.29
12.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.77 £5.04
$3.49 €3.01
93.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.98 £4.46
$3.88 €3.34
54.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 £1.25
$1.14 €0.98
46.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 £1.33
$1.75 €1.51
2.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.15 £1.60
$1.76 €1.51
22.16%
Eggs
$3.89 £2.90
$3.22 €2.77
20.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.51 £6.34
$13.49 €11.61
-36.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.80 £6.56
$7.91 €6.81
11.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.34 £11.43
$15.87 €13.67
-3.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 £2.13
$2.31 €1.99
23.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 £1.33
$1.70 €1.46
5.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 £1.88
$2.01 €1.73
25.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.60 £2.68
$2.46 €2.12
46.34%
Potato (1kg)
$2.03 £1.51
$1.84 €1.59
10.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.72 £1.28
$2.00 €1.72
-14.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 £0.91
$1.93 €1.66
-36.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 £1.07
$0.79 €0.68
82.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.13 £14.25
$6.61 €5.69
189.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.25 £7.64
$5.72 €4.93
79.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 £1.90
$1.37 €1.18
86.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 £2.63
$2.97 €2.56
18.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.73 £2.04
$2.37 €2.04
15.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.0 £40.19
$45.56 €39.22
18.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 £2.97
$4.29 €3.69
-6.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 £1.11
$0.82 €0.70
81.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.61 £12.38
$18.30 €15.76
-9.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.88 £1.40
$2.06 €1.78
-8.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.5K
$34.3K €29.5K
11.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K £28.6K
$39.3K €33.8K
-2.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$285 £213
$148 €127
93.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.93 £13.36
$20.52 €17.67
-12.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.49 £32.40
$39.61 €34.10
9.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.91 £30.48
$47.85 €41.19
-14.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.92 €16.29
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.32 £9.93
$9.18 €7.91
45.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,662 £1,239
$614 €529
170.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K £12.1K
$16.0K €13.8K
1.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 £64.9
$105 €90.1
-16.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.10 £31.36
$42.06 €36.21
0.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.3 £65.8
$94.0 €80.9
-6.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 £80.2
$120 €103
-10.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,005 £749
$1,628 €1,401
-38.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 £663
$1,255 €1,081
-29.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,357 £1,011
$3,030 €2,609
-55.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 £1,245
$2,020 €1,739
-17.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,303 £3,951
$7,800 €6,715
-32.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,810 £2,093
$4,273 €3,678
-34.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rochdale
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,374 £1,769
$1,603 €1,380
48.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.76
3.81
51.18%

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

Last update for Rochdale: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Rochdale and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rochdale pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $95.0 in Rochdale vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $269 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
Rochdale vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rochdale and Lisbon?
Rochdale and Lisbon differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,176 vs $2,210 including rent). Rochdale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Rochdale or Lisbon?
Rochdale pays 48% more on average, 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 Rochdale and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,005 in Rochdale versus $1,628 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 Rochdale and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,662 in Rochdale versus $614 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 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,176 in Rochdale versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rochdale but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rochdale the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Rochdale 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 Rochdale or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Rochdale 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: Rochdale or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Rochdale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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