Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saipan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saipan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,788 in Saipan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,587 in Saipan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,386 in Saipan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 24% more expensive than Saipan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Saipan 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$11.31 $11.31

40.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$39.31 $39.31

64.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$11.91 $11.91

-11.75%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$5.25 $5.25

-45.33%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.70 $1.70

31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.31 $1.31

14.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.85 $5.85

-40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$6.08 $6.08

-36.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.22 $2.22

-48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$3.30 $3.30

-46.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$45.62 $45.62

-96.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$6.40 $6.40

-49.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$13.35 $13.35

-40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$6.46 $6.46

-64.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.24 $2.24

-24.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$6.74 $6.74

-70.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.03 $2.03

-9.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.26 $2.26

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$4.89 $4.89

-60.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$14.98 $14.98

-61.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$6.53 $6.53

-34.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.91 $1.91

-57.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.41 $1.41

46.10%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$36.3K $36.3K

-5.65%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$23.4K $23.4K

68.02%

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

$148 €127

$338 $338

-56.31%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$66.3 $66.3

-69.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$59.1 $59.1

-32.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$48.09 $48.09

-0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$8.19 $8.19

12.09%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$5,935 $5,935

170.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$29.68 $29.68

252.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$39.88 $39.88

5.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$71.2 $71.2

31.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$54.3 $54.3

120.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$629 $629

158.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$458 $458

174.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,049 $1,049

188.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$864 $864

133.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,020 $1,020

57.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saipan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $629 in Saipan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 57% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $39.00 in Saipan. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $463, 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 Saipan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saipan differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,788 including rent). Saipan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 57% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $629 in Saipan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saipan – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,788 in Saipan – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,788 in Saipan versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Saipan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saipan 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 Saipan 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 Saipan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.