Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,995 in Saar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,793 in Saar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,590 in Saar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 11% more expensive than Saar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Saar 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$10.47 BHD 3.95

51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$32.54 BHD 12.27

99.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$10.40 BHD 3.92

1.06%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.81 BHD 2.19

-50.60%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.96 BHD 0.36

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.44 BHD 0.17

240.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$6.09 BHD 2.30

-42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$9.04 BHD 3.41

-57.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.67 BHD 0.63

-31.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.31 BHD 0.50

33.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.63 BHD 0.99

-33.08%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.60 BHD 0.98

23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.16 BHD 4.96

2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.60 BHD 2.49

19.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$15.79 BHD 5.95

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.88 BHD 1.46

-40.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-28.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.60 BHD 1.36

-44.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.93 BHD 0.73

27.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.69 BHD 0.26

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.68 BHD 0.63

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$26.54 BHD 10.01

-78.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.28 BHD 1.99

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$135 BHD 50.8

9.86%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$32.34 BHD 12.19

22.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$189 BHD 71.2

-74.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$108 BHD 40.75

-82.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$20.97 BHD 7.90

-56.22%

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

$614 €528

$553 BHD 209

10.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,994 BHD 3,014

100.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$91.6 BHD 34.52

14.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$39.16 BHD 14.76

7.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$107 BHD 40.37

-12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$106 BHD 39.82

13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,309 BHD 494

24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$944 BHD 356

32.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,131 BHD 804

42.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,171 BHD 441

72.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$2,216 BHD 835

92.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$2,428 BHD 915

-33.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,309 in Saar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saar pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $33.00 in Saar. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $287, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Saar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saar differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,995 including rent). Saar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Saar earns 51% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,309 in Saar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,995 in Saar – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,995 in Saar versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Lisbon and Saar 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 Saar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.