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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,473 in Salem, MA versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,781 in Salem, MA versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,090 in Salem, MA versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Salem, MA is roughly 56% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 159% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$16.17 €13.79

55.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$64.6 €55.1

52.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$10.38 €8.85

6.36%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$2.77 €2.37

84.12%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$2.25 €1.92

8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.57 €1.34

35.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$3.49 €2.98

132.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.00 €3.42

74.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.08 €0.92

12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.74 €1.48

151.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$1.74 €1.48

401.15%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$3.18 €2.71

38.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$13.43 €11.46

5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$7.99 €6.82

78.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$16.09 €13.73

-45.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.28 €1.95

98.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.72 €1.47

-22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.94 €1.66

72.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.54 €2.17

88.58%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.83 €1.56

134.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.04 €1.74

16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.98 €1.69

28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$0.85 €0.73

303.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 $9.53

$6.85 €5.85

39.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 $12.89

$5.78 €4.93

123.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.37 €1.17

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$2.90 €2.47

137.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.28 €1.95

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 $54.6

$46.84 €39.96

16.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.08 €3.48

-14.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.82 €0.70

92.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 $29.22

$18.27 €15.58

59.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.01 €1.71

-46.77%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$35.3K €30.1K

-15.43%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$38.5K €32.8K

-32.50%

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

$169 $169

$145 €124

16.33%

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

$91.3 $91.3

$20.96 €17.88

335.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 $82.3

$40.05 €34.17

105.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.44 $42.44

$48.79 €41.61

-13.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.95

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$9.06 €7.73

64.35%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$607 €517

114.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$16.3K €13.9K

45.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 $71.4

$105 €89.3

-31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 $58.4

$40.95 €34.93

42.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$93.6 €79.8

4.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$119 €101

-16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 $2,360

$1,604 €1,368

47.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 $1,944

$1,236 €1,054

57.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,832 $3,832

$3,046 €2,598

25.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$2,057 €1,754

38.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$7,709 €6,576

-64.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 $2,387

$4,266 €3,639

-44.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,570 $9,570

$1,584 €1,351

504.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

3.81

70.87%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,360 in Salem, MA and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 504% 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: $98 in Salem, MA vs $65 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $271 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

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

Salem, MA and Lisbon differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($3,473 vs $2,227 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Salem, MA pays 504% 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: $2,360 in Salem, MA versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Salem, MA versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Salem, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $3,473 in Salem, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Salem, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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, Salem, 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 56% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.