Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,206 a month against $2,555 in Rochester, MN, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Rochester, MN, United States
Lisbon, Portugal
Rochester, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,555
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rochester, MN and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rochester, MN and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,555 in Rochester, MN versus $2,206 in Lisbon.

  • Rochester, MN $2,555
  • Lisbon $2,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,909 in Rochester, MN versus $3,276 in Lisbon.

  • Rochester, MN $3,909
  • Lisbon $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,264 in Rochester, MN versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Rochester, MN $5,264
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Rochester, MN is roughly 16% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rochester, MN 89% above, Lisbon 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.95 $19.95
$16.86 €15.00
18.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5 $74.5
$61.0 €54.3
22.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 $10.90
$10.98 €9.77
-0.73%
Cappuccino
$6.05 $6.05
$3.05 €2.71
98.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 $2.86
$2.28 €2.03
25.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.68 €1.50
45.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.99 $4.99
$3.44 €3.06
45.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 $5.70
$3.91 €3.48
45.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.15 €1.02
-26.09%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 $2.88
$1.89 €1.68
52.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.38 $3.38
$1.50 €1.34
125.33%
Eggs
$3.64 $3.64
$4.12 €3.66
-11.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.27 $9.27
$13.01 €11.57
-28.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.35 $12.35
$8.04 €7.16
53.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.77 $18.77
$17.89 €15.92
4.92%
Apples (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$2.27 €2.02
141.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.74 €1.55
-15.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.43 $4.43
$1.82 €1.62
143.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.69 €2.39
38.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.77 €1.57
20.90%
Onion (1kg)
$3.71 $3.71
$1.94 €1.72
91.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.46 €1.30
82.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.07 $3.07
$0.76 €0.68
303.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.19 $10.19
$6.66 €5.92
53.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.18 $15.18
$5.64 €5.02
169.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.29 €1.15
37.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.14 €1.90
37.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.30 €2.05
-12.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.38 $42.38
$44.02 €39.17
-3.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$3.98 €3.54
-49.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 $1.21
$0.64 €0.57
89.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.78 $19.78
$18.93 €16.84
4.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$2.28 €2.03
-59.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$33.4K €29.7K
-19.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$38.5K €34.3K
-34.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 $167
$158 €141
5.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.91 $45.91
$17.54 €15.61
161.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.19 $44.19
$31.18 €27.75
41.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.70 $44.70
$44.64 €39.73
0.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.62 $19.62
$18.98 €16.89
3.37%
Cinema Ticket
$9.93 $9.93
$9.58 €8.52
3.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,296 $1,296
$674 €599
92.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K $11.1K
$18.7K €16.7K
-40.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.3 $64.3
$102 €90.9
-37.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 $63.7
$45.90 €40.85
38.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.2 $73.2
$102 €91.0
-28.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.2 $85.2
$122 €109
-30.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 $1,628
$1,641 €1,460
-0.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,333 $1,333
$1,187 €1,057
12.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,714 $2,714
$2,825 €2,514
-3.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,485 $2,485
$2,018 €1,796
23.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,266 $2,266
$7,836 €6,973
-71.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,912 $1,912
$4,701 €4,183
-59.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rochester, MN
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,534 $4,534
$1,687 €1,501
168.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
3.82
71.99%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rochester, MN
$1.3K
Lisbon
$1.2K 11% $146
Groceries & Markets
Rochester, MN
$390
Lisbon
$275 29.7% $116
Eating Out
Rochester, MN
$322
Lisbon
$245 23.9% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rochester, MN
$257
Lisbon
$207 19.5% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Rochester, MN
$129
Lisbon
$168 30% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Rochester, MN
$65
Lisbon
$64 1.2% $0.8
Getting Around
Rochester, MN
$59
Lisbon
$60 3.2% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Rochester, MN and $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rochester, MN pays about 2.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74 in Rochester, MN vs $61 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $275 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Rochester, MN
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
02:33 2:33 AM
08:33 8:33 AM
6 h ahead of Rochester, MN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
211,328
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rochester, MN Lisbon 6,670 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rochester, MN
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Rochester, MN vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rochester, MN and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,555 in Rochester, MN and $2,206 in Lisbon, so Lisbon is about 14% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Rochester, MN or Lisbon?
Average pay in Rochester, MN is about 2.7 times higher, 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 Rochester, MN and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Rochester, MN versus $1,641 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 Rochester, MN and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,296 in Rochester, MN versus $674 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Rochester, MN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Rochester, MN compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Rochester, MN 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.
How do I decide between Rochester, MN and Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Rochester, MN on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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