Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Topeka, KS and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Topeka, KS: $1,901 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Topeka, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$1,901
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,901 in Topeka, KS versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Topeka, KS $1,901
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,863 in Topeka, KS versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Topeka, KS $2,863
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,825 in Topeka, KS versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Topeka, KS $3,825
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Topeka, KS costs roughly 14% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Topeka, KS 40% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.27 $13.27
$17.04 €15.15
-22.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.2 $51.2
$62.3 €55.4
-17.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.03 $10.03
$11.02 €9.80
-8.98%
Cappuccino
$3.40 $3.40
$3.12 €2.78
8.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.27 €2.02
3.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.74 €1.55
3.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.46 $4.46
$3.42 €3.04
30.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.81 $8.81
$3.74 €3.33
135.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.17 €1.04
-26.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 $2.70
$1.86 €1.66
45.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.94 $2.94
$1.54 €1.37
90.91%
Eggs
$4.09 $4.09
$4.06 €3.61
0.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.93 $8.93
$12.91 €11.49
-30.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.26 $8.26
$7.90 €7.03
4.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.10 $15.10
$17.64 €15.69
-14.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.90 $4.90
$2.26 €2.01
116.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.75 €1.55
-9.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.13 $5.13
$1.89 €1.68
171.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.13 $4.13
$2.56 €2.27
61.33%
Potato (1kg)
$3.48 $3.48
$1.85 €1.64
88.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.61 $2.61
$1.97 €1.75
32.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.45 €1.29
27.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 $0.80
$0.77 €0.69
3.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.17 $9.17
$6.71 €5.97
36.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.05 $12.05
$5.67 €5.04
112.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.37 €1.22
35.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 $1.65
$2.11 €1.88
-21.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.91 $3.91
$2.32 €2.07
68.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.53 $49.53
$44.43 €39.52
11.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.70 $2.70
$3.95 €3.51
-31.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.05 €0.93
44.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.60 $33.60
$17.15 €15.26
95.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$2.19 €1.95
-59.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$33.8K €30.0K
-22.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$38.3K €34.0K
-31.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$145 $145
$164 €146
-11.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.02 $47.02
$18.48 €16.43
154.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0 $65.0
$32.96 €29.32
97.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.11 $44.11
$45.87 €40.80
-3.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.09 $15.09
$18.68 €16.61
-19.22%
Cinema Ticket
$13.38 $13.38
$9.75 €8.67
37.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 $434
$684 €608
-36.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$17.6K €15.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.71 $38.71
$104 €92.3
-62.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.08 $28.08
$46.20 €41.09
-39.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.7 $89.7
$99.7 €88.7
-10.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.4 $80.4
$125 €111
-35.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$792 $792
$1,589 €1,414
-50.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$835 $835
$1,169 €1,040
-28.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,283 $1,283
$2,851 €2,536
-54.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 $1,496
$1,993 €1,773
-24.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,443 $1,443
$7,793 €6,932
-81.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,334 $1,334
$4,418 €3,930
-69.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Topeka, KS
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,708 $3,708
$1,600 €1,423
131.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.24
3.85
62.08%

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

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 17, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Topeka, KS
$835
Lisbon
$1.2K 40% $334
Groceries & Markets
Topeka, KS
$322
Lisbon
$273 15.1% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Topeka, KS
$257
Lisbon
$215 16.4% $42
Eating Out
Topeka, KS
$234
Lisbon
$247 6% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Topeka, KS
$107
Lisbon
$168 58% $62
Getting Around
Topeka, KS
$75
Lisbon
$63 16.6% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Topeka, KS
$71
Lisbon
$65 7.8% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $792 in Topeka, KS and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Topeka, KS pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Topeka, KS vs $62.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $322 vs $273, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Topeka, KS
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
06:37 6:37 AM
12:37 12:37 PM
6 h ahead of Topeka, KS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
124,331
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 October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Topeka, KS Lisbon 7,170 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Topeka, KS
  • 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
Topeka, KS vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Topeka, KS and in Lisbon?
Topeka, KS and Lisbon differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,901 vs $2,202 including rent). Topeka, KS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Topeka, KS or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 132% higher in Topeka, KS, 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 Topeka, KS and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $792 in Topeka, KS versus $1,589 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 Topeka, KS and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $434 in Topeka, KS versus $684 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?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,901 in Topeka, KS versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Topeka, KS but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Topeka, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Topeka, KS 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.
Is Topeka, KS or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Topeka, KS 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.
Where should expats move: Topeka, KS or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Topeka, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Topeka, KS vs other spots: cost of living compared

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