Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saint Paul, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Saint Paul, MN, United States
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Saint Paul, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,445
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Saint Paul, MN

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 Paul, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Saint Paul, MN $2,445

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,672 in Saint Paul, MN.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Saint Paul, MN $3,672

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,900 in Saint Paul, MN.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Saint Paul, MN $4,900

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 10% less than in Saint Paul, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Saint Paul, MN 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$15.66 $15.66
6.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$67.8 $67.8
-8.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$10.07 $10.07
12.81%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$5.03 $5.03
-40.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$3.09 $3.09
-25.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.59 $2.59
-32.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$6.04 $6.04
-43.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$7.37 $7.37
-55.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$0.98 $0.98
18.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$3.80 $3.80
-49.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.33 $3.33
-54.65%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.96 $2.96
35.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$9.39 $9.39
37.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$9.66 $9.66
-19.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$13.17 $13.17
34.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$4.84 $4.84
-52.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.11 $1.11
55.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$5.88 $5.88
-68.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$4.92 $4.92
-47.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$3.81 $3.81
-52.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$3.48 $3.48
-43.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.05 $2.05
-28.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.75 $1.75
-58.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$12.68 $12.68
-48.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$14.65 $14.65
-61.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.69 $1.69
-19.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$3.41 $3.41
-37.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$1.96 $1.96
18.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$104 $104
-56.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.54 $2.54
51.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.52 $1.52
-29.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$31.02 $31.02
-46.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.03 $1.03
113.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$27.1K $27.1K
26.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$26.6K $26.6K
45.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$232 $232
-30.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$50.6 $50.6
-63.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$64.7 $64.7
-49.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$29.74 $29.74
49.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$8.50 $8.50
124.71%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$13.07 $13.07
-26.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$1,481 $1,481
-54.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$28.1K $28.1K
-37.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$41.01 $41.01
148.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$40.23 $40.23
10.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$82.1 $82.1
20.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$110 $110
12.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,444 $1,444
11.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$1,153 $1,153
3.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$2,660 $2,660
5.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$2,132 $2,132
-5.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$2,631 $2,631
197.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$1,949 $1,949
134.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Saint Paul, MN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$4,256 $4,256
-62.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
6.31
-38.99%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Saint Paul, MN
$1.2K 3.1% $37
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Saint Paul, MN
$360 32.2% $88
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Saint Paul, MN
$283 16.8% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Saint Paul, MN
$348 63.7% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Saint Paul, MN
$123 25.8% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Saint Paul, MN
$56 12.3% $7.9
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Saint Paul, MN
$122 92.7% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Paul, MN pays about 2.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $68 in Saint Paul, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $360 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇺🇸 Saint Paul, MN
🕒 Local time
04:17 4:17 AM
23:17 11:17 PM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
285,068
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Saint Paul, MN 6,670 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Saint Paul, MN

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 Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Saint Paul, MN?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,445 in Saint Paul, MN, so Lisbon is about 10% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Lisbon. 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 Paul, MN?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,444 in Saint Paul, MN. 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 Paul, MN?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $1,481 in Saint Paul, MN. 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 32% higher in Saint Paul, MN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Saint Paul, MN?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Lisbon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Saint Paul, MN?
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 Paul, MN safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Saint Paul, MN are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Saint Paul, MN?
It comes down to priorities – Lisbon wins on affordability, Saint Paul, MN on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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