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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $874 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,355 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,835 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 163% more expensive than in Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Saint-Louis is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$3.56 F CFA 2,032

394.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$55.5 F CFA 31.7K

13.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.64 F CFA 6,649

-0.52%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.55 F CFA 2,028

-12.68%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.29 F CFA 736

93.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.90 F CFA 514

93.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.79 F CFA 1,025

94.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.56 F CFA 2,607

-24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.84 F CFA 1,624

-59.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.26 F CFA 148

634.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.77 F CFA 1,011

-15.25%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.53 F CFA 1,446

57.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$17.71 F CFA 10.1K

-24.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$9.51 F CFA 5,433

-15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$11.71 F CFA 6,690

54.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.43 F CFA 1,959

-31.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.00 F CFA 1,140

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.05 F CFA 1,743

-39.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.79 F CFA 1,025

42.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.46 F CFA 833

26.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.95 F CFA 540

121.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.13 F CFA 647

31.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.71 F CFA 405

15.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.15 F CFA 1,229

230.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$18.05 F CFA 10.3K

-67.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.59 F CFA 909

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.35 F CFA 1,916

-36.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.87 F CFA 499

368.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.27 F CFA 1,299

-49.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$17.47 F CFA 9,985

-2.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.72 F CFA 985

34.30%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$52.5K F CFA 30.0M

-34.96%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$49.7K F CFA 28.4M

-16.73%

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

$169 €147

$207 F CFA 118.3K

-18.59%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$11.96 F CFA 6,834

61.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$47.96 F CFA 27.4K

-30.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.64 F CFA 4,938

10.76%

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

$696 €607

$327 F CFA 186.9K

112.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$10.9K F CFA 6.2M

59.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$59.3 F CFA 33.9K

77.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$46.55 F CFA 26.6K

2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$89.4 F CFA 51.1K

12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$102 F CFA 58.2K

22.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$451 F CFA 257.5K

268.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

8.75

-56.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $451 in Saint-Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $55.0 in Saint-Louis. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $304, 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 163% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $874 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $1,312 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $451 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $874 in Saint-Louis – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $874 in Saint-Louis versus $2,296 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 163% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.