Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and General Santos

For one person, living is cheaper in General Santos: $628 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
General Santos
🇵🇭 Philippines
$628
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in General Santos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in General Santos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $628 in General Santos.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • General Santos $628

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $1,009 in General Santos.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • General Santos $1,009

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $1,391 in General Santos.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • General Santos $1,391

Living in Lisbon is roughly 254% more expensive than in General Santos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, General Santos is 53% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$3.38 ₱213
388.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$27.40 ₱1,725
123.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$2.72 ₱172
314.34%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$2.56 ₱161
19.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$0.28 ₱17.41
707.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.25 ₱15.83
592.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$1.58 ₱99.3
114.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.34 ₱147
45.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.00 ₱126
-44.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.08 ₱68.2
72.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$0.87 ₱54.7
75.86%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$1.86 ₱117
112.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$6.38 ₱402
100.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$4.77 ₱300
65.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$9.25 ₱582
83.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.74 ₱172
-17.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.07 ₱67.2
63.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.45 ₱154
-24.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$1.19 ₱74.6
115.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.98 ₱125
-6.06%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$3.28 ₱207
-38.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.24 ₱78.2
16.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$0.68 ₱42.60
20.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$2.46 ₱155
166.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$7.76 ₱488
-27.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.25 ₱78.5
2.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.68 ₱106
23.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.39 ₱24.37
502.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$8.15 ₱513
442.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$0.78 ₱49.25
411.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$0.25 ₱15.79
336.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$0.82 ₱51.4
1929.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.12 ₱70.7
103.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$20.9K ₱1.3M
61.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
105.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$76.6 ₱4,825
118.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$6.53 ₱411
187.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$31.67 ₱1,994
4.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$4.91 ₱309
100.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$109 ₱6,840
523.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$7,532 ₱474.2K
124.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$59.8 ₱3,767
69.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$30.67 ₱1,931
49.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$70.3 ₱4,428
42.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$60.7 ₱3,823
102.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$174 ₱11.0K
825.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$112 ₱7,068
966.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$359 ₱22.6K
697.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$238 ₱15.0K
735.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
General Santos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
8.31
-53.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for General Santos: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
General Santos
$112 90.6% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
General Santos
$199 26.1% $70
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
General Santos
$81 66.7% $162
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
General Santos
$115 47.7% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
General Santos
$100 40.1% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
General Santos
$9.8 * 85.1% $56
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
General Santos
$12 81.4% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $174 in General Santos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in General Santos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $199 per month, with General Santos cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇭 General Santos
🕒 Local time
09:03 9:03 AM
16:03 4:03 PM
7 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
697,315
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon General Santos 13,160 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • General Santos

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
Lisbon vs General Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or General Santos?
General Santos wins on cost – living expenses run 254% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making General Santos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in General Santos?
You'd need roughly $3,335 in Lisbon and $942 in General Santos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to General Santos?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $174 in General Santos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in General Santos?
Dining out is cheaper in General Santos – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $61.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to General Santos?
All in, you'll spend $2,223 per month in Lisbon versus $628 in General Santos – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in General Santos?
At $628 in General Santos versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in General Santos but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes General Santos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or General Santos?
Both work as nomad bases, but General Santos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $628 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes General Santos hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to General Santos?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and General Santos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find General Santos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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