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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $788 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,287 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,786 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 187% more expensive than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Saint-Louis is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$3.63 F CFA 2,051

339.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$52.8 F CFA 29.8K

20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$10.30 F CFA 5,819

0.78%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$4.50 F CFA 2,544

-38.00%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.89 F CFA 503

162.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.05 F CFA 596

49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.74 F CFA 982

97.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.39 F CFA 2,479

-10.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.65 F CFA 1,499

-59.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.27 F CFA 153

555.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.62 F CFA 914

5.56%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.70 F CFA 1,524

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$12.72 F CFA 7,186

7.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$9.32 F CFA 5,262

-14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$10.91 F CFA 6,160

42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.81 F CFA 1,586

-18.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.96 F CFA 1,109

-16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.59 F CFA 1,463

-25.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.16 F CFA 1,218

16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.54 F CFA 873

16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.28 F CFA 721

57.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.07 F CFA 603

84.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.74 F CFA 416

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$1.57 F CFA 887

332.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$14.70 F CFA 8,304

-61.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.14 F CFA 645

21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.33 F CFA 1,315

29.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.84 F CFA 475

410.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.74 F CFA 1,549

-68.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$17.30 F CFA 9,769

5.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.71 F CFA 965

16.37%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$36.2K F CFA 20.5M

-3.28%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$49.3K F CFA 27.8M

-19.80%

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

$146 €126

$137 F CFA 77.6K

6.36%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$9.46 F CFA 5,344

116.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$49.36 F CFA 27.9K

-21.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$8.76 F CFA 4,949

8.68%

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

$608 €524

$263 F CFA 148.4K

131.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,388 F CFA 4.2M

123.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$68.8 F CFA 38.9K

51.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$44.13 F CFA 24.9K

-4.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$102 F CFA 57.5K

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$128 F CFA 72.3K

-6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$434 F CFA 245.0K

273.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $434 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 $269 vs $271, 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 187% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $788 including rent). Saint-Louis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $1,182 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $434 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $788 in Saint-Louis – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Saint-Louis versus $2,263 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 187% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.