Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint Louis, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,223 a month against $2,428 in Saint Louis, MO, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. The total is higher in Saint Louis, MO despite lower rent and utilities.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Saint Louis, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,428
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Saint Louis, MO

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 Saint Louis, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,428 in Saint Louis, MO.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • Saint Louis, MO $2,428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $3,685 in Saint Louis, MO.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • Saint Louis, MO $3,685

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $4,942 in Saint Louis, MO.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • Saint Louis, MO $4,942

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 8% less than in Saint Louis, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Saint Louis, MO 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$18.12 $18.12
-8.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$78.6 $78.6
-22.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$12.21 $12.21
-7.70%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$5.16 $5.16
-40.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.30 $2.30
-1.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.76 $1.76
-1.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$5.71 $5.71
-40.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$6.94 $6.94
-51.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.29 $1.29
-13.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$3.91 $3.91
-52.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$5.88 $5.88
-73.98%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.94 $3.94
0.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$13.13 $13.13
-2.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$15.42 $15.42
-48.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$20.08 $20.08
-15.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$8.16 $8.16
-72.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.39 $2.39
-26.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$5.75 $5.75
-67.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$5.35 $5.35
-51.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$4.21 $4.21
-55.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$5.04 $5.04
-59.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.79 $2.79
-48.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$2.93 $2.93
-72.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$7.85 $7.85
-16.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$15.26 $15.26
-63.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$2.95 $2.95
-56.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$3.24 $3.24
-36.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.48 $2.48
-5.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$78.9 $78.9
-44.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$3.44 $3.44
15.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.52 $1.52
-28.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$40.69 $40.69
-59.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.01 $1.01
125.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$35.4K $35.4K
-4.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$24.6K $24.6K
59.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$240 $240
-30.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$70.1 $70.1
-73.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$77.0 $77.0
-57.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$32.14 $32.14
43.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$19.82 $19.82
-3.18%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$13.95 $13.95
-29.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$1,378 $1,378
-50.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$23.5K $23.5K
-28.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$60.1 $60.1
68.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$39.85 $39.85
14.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$89.2 $89.2
12.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$118 $118
3.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$1,495 $1,495
7.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$948 $948
26.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$2,069 $2,069
38.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$1,696 $1,696
17.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$1,393 $1,393
443.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,872 $1,872
130.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Saint Louis, MO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$4,203 $4,203
-62.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.72
-42.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Saint Louis, MO
$948 20.8% $250
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
Saint Louis, MO
$494 83.2% $224
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
Saint Louis, MO
$302 24.8% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
Saint Louis, MO
$387 76.4% $168
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Saint Louis, MO
$138 16.9% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
Saint Louis, MO
$60 8.6% $5.6
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Saint Louis, MO
$100 58.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $1,495 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Louis, MO pays 165% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $79.0 in Saint Louis, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $494 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Saint Louis, MO
🕒 Local time
17:08 5:08 PM
11:08 11:08 AM
6 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
301,578
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Saint Louis, MO 6,780 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Saint Louis, MO

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 Saint Louis, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Saint Louis, MO?
Lisbon and Saint Louis, MO differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $2,428 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 165% lower in Saint Louis, MO. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Saint Louis, MO?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $1,495 in Saint Louis, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Saint Louis, MO?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $1,378 in Saint Louis, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Saint Louis, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,223 in Lisbon versus $2,428 in Saint Louis, MO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Saint Louis, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Saint Louis, MO?
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.
Is Lisbon or Saint Louis, MO safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Saint Louis, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Saint Louis, MO?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Saint Louis, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?