Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in Sterling versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,921 in Sterling versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,180 in Sterling versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Sterling is roughly 17% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sterling 100% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$15.75 €13.64

27.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 $85.8

$63.5 €55.0

35.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.33 $13.33

$10.45 €9.05

27.56%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.91 €2.52

88.32%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.29 €1.98

20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.50 €1.30

55.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.56 €3.09

73.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$3.96 €3.43

99.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.08 €0.94

-9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.76 €1.53

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.70 €1.47

24.71%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$3.25 €2.81

50.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.22 $19.22

$13.25 €11.47

45.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$7.70 €6.67

55.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.28 $18.28

$15.77 €13.66

15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.28 €1.97

110.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.66 €1.43

-23.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$2.02 €1.75

247.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$2.47 €2.14

162.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.79 €1.55

97.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.07 €1.79

31.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.97 €1.71

11.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.83 €0.72

193.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.16 $9.16

$6.55 €5.68

39.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 $13.84

$5.57 €4.82

148.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.33 €1.15

29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.01 €2.60

70.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.27 €1.97

-11.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.23 €3.66

8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.85 €0.73

62.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.75 $28.75

$18.83 €16.31

52.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.02 €1.75

-58.91%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$35.0K €30.3K

-24.08%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$39.6K €34.3K

-36.74%

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

$205 $205

$148 €128

38.90%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$20.52 €17.77

156.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$39.52 €34.23

88.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.22 $29.22

$48.17 €41.72

-39.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$9.10 €7.88

64.62%

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

$1,771 $1,771

$615 €532

188.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$16.3K €14.1K

46.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.30 $47.30

$102 €88.0

-53.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.30 $44.30

$42.09 €36.45

5.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$92.3 €79.9

5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$122 €106

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$1,612 €1,396

-22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$1,254 €1,086

8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$3,069 €2,658

-33.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 $2,254

$2,037 €1,764

10.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,272 $3,272

$7,751 €6,712

-57.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,397 $2,397

$4,286 €3,712

-44.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,688 $3,688

$1,602 €1,387

130.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

3.81

72.44%

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

Last update for Sterling: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Sterling and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sterling pays 130% 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: $86.0 in Sterling vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $267 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

Sterling vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sterling and Lisbon differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,662 vs $2,280 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 130% higher in Sterling, 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: $1,255 in Sterling versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Sterling. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,662 per month in Sterling versus $2,280 in Lisbon – a 17% 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, Sterling 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 17% less than in Sterling. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.