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: $3,425 in Salem, MA versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,775 in Salem, MA versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,125 in Salem, MA versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Salem, MA is roughly 51% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 155% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.45 $25.45

$15.94 €13.73

59.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$63.4 €54.6

58.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 $10.90

$10.38 €8.95

5.01%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$2.79 €2.40

79.93%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$2.34 €2.01

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.57 €1.35

40.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$3.43 €2.95

127.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.91 €3.37

76.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.08 €0.93

14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.77 €1.52

142.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$1.71 €1.47

421.64%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$3.15 €2.71

34.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 $14.45

$13.68 €11.79

5.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$8.01 €6.90

78.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 $9.04

$15.52 €13.37

-41.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.29 €1.98

98.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.64 €1.41

-18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.94 €1.67

72.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.51 €2.17

86.85%

Potato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.79 €1.54

143.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.01 €1.73

20.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.97 €1.69

23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$0.84 €0.73

317.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 $9.72

$6.79 €5.85

43.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 $12.74

$5.67 €4.89

124.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.39 €1.20

26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.02 €2.60

135.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.27 €1.95

8.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 $54.3

$45.44 €39.15

19.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$4.29 €3.70

-16.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.85 €0.73

85.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$18.28 €15.75

62.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.99 €1.71

-47.74%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K €30.2K

-15.52%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$39.5K €34.1K

-35.88%

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

$172 $172

$146 €126

17.77%

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

$90.4 $90.4

$20.45 €17.62

342.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.2 $84.2

$38.98 €33.58

116.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.70 $42.70

$48.98 €42.21

-12.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$9.52 €8.21

55.36%

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

$1,286 $1,286

$608 €524

111.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$16.5K €14.2K

40.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 $71.7

$104 €89.5

-31.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$42.12 €36.29

35.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$92.2 €79.5

5.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$120 €103

-15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,351 $2,351

$1,621 €1,397

44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 $2,001

$1,268 €1,092

57.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,819 $3,819

$3,048 €2,626

25.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,845 $2,845

$2,009 €1,731

41.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 $2,685

$7,663 €6,602

-64.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,380 $2,380

$4,329 €3,730

-45.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,501 $9,501

$1,585 €1,366

499.45%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,351 in Salem, MA and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 499% 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: $101 in Salem, MA vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 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

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

Salem, MA and Lisbon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,425 vs $2,263 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Salem, MA pays 499% 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: $2,351 in Salem, MA versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,286 in Salem, MA versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Salem, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $3,425 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 51% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.