Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,858 in South Portland, ME versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,091 in South Portland, ME versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,323 in South Portland, ME versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in South Portland, ME is roughly 29% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: South Portland, ME 113% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$15.91 €13.81

24.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 $69.9

$64.8 €56.2

7.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.01 $12.01

$10.51 €9.12

14.27%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$2.87 €2.49

74.56%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$2.24 €1.95

30.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.50 €1.30

59.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.49 €3.03

69.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.88 €3.37

77.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.14 €0.99

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.75 €1.52

92.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$1.76 €1.52

223.30%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$3.22 €2.79

22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.42 $16.42

$13.49 €11.71

21.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 $10.75

$7.91 €6.87

35.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 $16.35

$15.87 €13.77

3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.31 €2.00

45.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.70 €1.48

-18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.01 €1.74

99.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.46 €2.13

217.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.84 €1.60

74.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.00 €1.74

47.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.93 €1.67

0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.79 €0.68

107.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.71 $12.71

$6.61 €5.73

92.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$5.72 €4.97

161.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.37 €1.18

29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.97 €2.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.37 €2.06

-16.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 $2.01

$4.29 €3.72

-53.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.82 €0.71

108.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.11 $29.11

$18.30 €15.88

59.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.06 €1.79

-58.74%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$34.3K €29.7K

-20.17%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$39.3K €34.1K

-35.84%

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

$212 $212

$148 €128

43.32%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$20.52 €17.80

170.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$39.61 €34.37

63.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.62 $43.62

$47.85 €41.51

-8.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.52 $30.52

$18.92 €16.42

61.31%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$9.18 €7.97

61.98%

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

$407 $407

$614 €533

-33.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K $15.2K

$16.0K €13.9K

-5.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.10 $48.10

$105 €90.8

-54.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 $34.45

$42.06 €36.49

-18.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$94.0 €81.5

-6.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$120 €104

11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 $1,978

$1,628 €1,412

21.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$1,255 €1,089

24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,393 $3,393

$3,030 €2,629

11.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,587 $2,587

$2,020 €1,753

28.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,718 $2,718

$7,800 €6,767

-65.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,356 $2,356

$4,273 €3,707

-44.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,265 $4,265

$1,603 €1,391

165.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

3.81

76.12%

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

Last update for South Portland, ME: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,978 in South Portland, ME and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

South Portland, ME pays 166% 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: $70.0 in South Portland, ME vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 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

South Portland, ME vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Portland, ME and Lisbon differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,858 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

South Portland, ME pays 166% 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: $1,978 in South Portland, ME versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in South Portland, ME. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,858 per month in South Portland, ME versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 29% 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, South Portland, ME 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 29% less than in South Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.