Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint-Louis Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint-Louis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $792 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,277 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,762 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 188% more expensive than in Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Saint-Louis is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$3.59 F CFA 2,039

338.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$52.7 F CFA 29.9K

20.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$10.52 F CFA 5,972

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$4.35 F CFA 2,467

-33.10%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.85 F CFA 485

169.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.05 F CFA 597

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.73 F CFA 981

105.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.40 F CFA 2,496

-10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.65 F CFA 1,505

-59.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.27 F CFA 153

551.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.61 F CFA 916

5.59%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.64 F CFA 1,498

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$12.90 F CFA 7,323

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$9.30 F CFA 5,281

-17.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$10.92 F CFA 6,202

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.71 F CFA 1,539

-15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.98 F CFA 1,127

-16.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.68 F CFA 1,522

-24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.05 F CFA 1,162

20.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.49 F CFA 847

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.29 F CFA 734

60.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.06 F CFA 603

85.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.69 F CFA 394

20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$1.61 F CFA 912

306.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$17.53 F CFA 9,951

-68.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.13 F CFA 641

17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.26 F CFA 1,283

33.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.84 F CFA 478

403.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.76 F CFA 1,566

-69.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$17.96 F CFA 10.2K

4.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.78 F CFA 1,008

13.48%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$36.7K F CFA 20.9M

-4.84%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$48.8K F CFA 27.7M

-18.76%

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

$148 €128

$140 F CFA 79.4K

5.72%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$9.86 F CFA 5,596

108.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$49.24 F CFA 28.0K

-19.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$9.08 F CFA 5,153

0.22%

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

$615 €532

$263 F CFA 149.2K

133.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,269 F CFA 4.1M

124.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$69.5 F CFA 39.4K

46.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$44.75 F CFA 25.4K

-5.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$105 F CFA 59.7K

-12.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$128 F CFA 72.9K

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$448 F CFA 254.4K

259.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.25

-53.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $448 in Saint-Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $275, 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 Saint-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saint-Louis differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $792 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $1,188 in Saint-Louis 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $448 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $792 in Saint-Louis – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $792 in Saint-Louis versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saint-Louis but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Louis 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-Louis 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 Saint-Louis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.