Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castries Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castries

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $1,422 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $2,362 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $3,302 in Castries, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 63% more than Castries, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Castries sit above the global median – Lisbon by 69%, Castries by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$9.14 EC$24.67

89.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$74.5 EC$201

-15.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$8.54 EC$23.06

33.37%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$3.68 EC$9.93

-13.32%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.88 EC$5.08

30.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.93 EC$2.51

89.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.71 EC$7.32

32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.41 EC$9.21

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$2.08 EC$5.62

-40.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.90 EC$5.12

4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.66 EC$4.48

-8.43%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$4.73 EC$12.78

-14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$11.04 EC$29.81

22.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$9.16 EC$24.73

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$14.61 EC$39.44

24.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$8.65 EC$23.35

-73.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.68 EC$4.55

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$8.00 EC$21.59

-76.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$14.84 EC$40.08

-82.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$3.38 EC$9.12

-43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.99 EC$5.38

5.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.19 EC$5.91

-34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.31 EC$3.55

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$9.03 EC$24.38

-24.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$11.04 EC$29.80

-48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.19 EC$5.91

-36.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$5.61 EC$15.14

-60.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.09 EC$2.93

120.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$9.23 EC$24.91

-54.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.56 EC$4.21

48.72%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$25.5K EC$69.0K

38.36%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$37.1K EC$100.2K

11.64%

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

$170 €147

$124 EC$334

37.81%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$87.1 EC$235

-77.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$48.46 EC$131

-30.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$40.82 EC$110

17.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$5.49 EC$14.82

80.69%

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

$717 €617

$214 EC$579

234.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$83.0 EC$224

26.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$51.7 EC$140

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$112 EC$303

-7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$110 EC$298

12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$451 EC$1,219

271.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$342 EC$923

272.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$1,225 EC$3,307

143.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$705 EC$1,903

182.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$101 EC$273

7636.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$63.8 EC$172

7200.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$1,094 EC$2,955

44.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

7.75

-51.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Castries: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $451 in Castries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $431 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Castries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 63% more than Castries, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $2,133 in Castries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castries, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,316 in Lisbon and $1,422 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $214 in Castries. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castries, where all-in costs run around $1,422, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Castries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castries costs $1,422 versus $2,316 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Castries. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.