$40K in Phoenix = $25,000 in Lisbon

Your $40K salary in Phoenix (COL 100) has the same purchasing power as $25,000 in Lisbon (COL 63). Lisbon is cheaper — your money goes 37% further there.

$40K in Phoenix, AZ
$2,645/mo take-home
Rent: $1,500/mo (57% of take-home)
Difficult
$25,000/yr in Lisbon, PT
$1,289/mo take-home
Rent: $1,400/mo (109% of take-home)
Difficult

Budget breakdown — $40K in both cities

What $40K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Phoenix
$40K
Lisbon
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,645$2,062
1BR rent$1,500$1,400
Groceries$369$380
Transport$64$150
Utilities$210$90
Internet$60$35
Left after essentials$442/month$7/month
To match your Phoenix purchasing power in Lisbon, you'd need to earn $25,000/year (37% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $-766/mo left after essentials — vs $442/mo in Phoenix.

Frequently asked questions

What is $40K in Phoenix equivalent to in Lisbon?

$40K in Phoenix (COL index 100) has the same purchasing power as $25,000 in Lisbon (COL index 63). That's 37% less than your current salary.

If I move from Phoenix to Lisbon keeping my $40K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Lisbon, you'd have $-435 more per month after core expenses — because Lisbon is cheaper than Phoenix.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $40K × (63 ÷ 100) = $25,000. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Phoenix to Lisbon

$50K → $31,250$60K → $37,500$75K → $46,875$80K → $50,000$100K → $62,500$120K → $75,000$150K → $93,750
$40K in Lisbon → PhoenixMoving from Phoenix to LisbonPhoenix vs Lisbon — full comparisonCan I afford Phoenix vs Lisbon on $40K?

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only