Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,365 in Saint Andrews.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $3,397 in Saint Andrews.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $4,429 in Saint Andrews.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 4% less than in Saint Andrews, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Saint Andrews 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$16.87 CA$23.11

-6.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$71.2 CA$97.6

-9.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$10.94 CA$14.98

-5.21%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$3.86 CA$5.28

-25.13%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$1.99 CA$2.73

12.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.64 CA$2.25

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$5.64 CA$7.73

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$6.01 CA$8.24

-35.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$2.13 CA$2.92

-47.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.69 CA$3.69

-33.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$3.51 CA$4.81

-50.14%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$3.37 CA$4.62

-5.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$11.11 CA$15.22

21.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$11.64 CA$15.95

-33.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$14.99 CA$20.54

4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$4.13 CA$5.66

-44.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.35 CA$1.86

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$3.77 CA$5.17

-48.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$3.82 CA$5.23

-34.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.47 CA$3.38

-27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$2.47 CA$3.39

-17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$2.54 CA$3.48

-23.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.74 CA$2.38

-53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$13.79 CA$18.90

-51.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$12.45 CA$17.05

-53.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.80 CA$3.84

-52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$3.18 CA$4.35

-8.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$2.34 CA$3.21

0.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$63.1 CA$86.5

-27.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$3.11 CA$4.27

35.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.44 CA$1.97

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$25.45 CA$34.86

-26.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.11 CA$1.53

88.29%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$24.7K CA$33.9K

39.88%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$21.0K CA$28.7K

89.26%

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

$146 €124

$144 CA$198

1.05%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$43.53 CA$59.6

-52.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$63.7 CA$87.2

-37.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$41.16 CA$56.4

18.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$11.50 CA$15.76

-21.13%

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

$618 €526

$728 CA$997

-15.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

36.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$55.3 CA$75.8

89.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$39.74 CA$54.5

2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$84.9 CA$116

10.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$107 CA$146

15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$1,334 CA$1,828

20.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$1,198 CA$1,641

5.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$2,030 CA$2,781

51.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$1,836 CA$2,515

9.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$5,008 CA$6,860

53.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$3,778 CA$5,176

15.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.46

-41.02%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $71 in Saint Andrews for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $364 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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 Saint Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saint Andrews differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $2,365 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,387 in Lisbon and $3,547 in Saint Andrews 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $728 in Saint Andrews. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Saint Andrews. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,258 in Lisbon versus $2,365 in Saint Andrews, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Saint Andrews. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon 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 Saint Andrews 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Saint Andrews. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.