Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saipan

For one person, living is cheaper in Saipan: $1,771 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

107

Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
Learn more

Lisbon Living Index

Jump to prices

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,202

/mo nomad

Saipan

🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands

$1,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Saipan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,771 in Saipan.

Lisbon $2,202
Saipan $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $2,592 in Saipan.

Lisbon $3,274
Saipan $2,592

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,412 in Saipan.

Lisbon $4,346
Saipan $3,412

Living in Lisbon is roughly 24% more expensive than in Saipan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Saipan 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.04 €15.15

$14.97 $14.97

13.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 €55.4

$42.86 $42.86

45.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 €9.80

$14.78 $14.78

-25.44%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.78

$5.48 $5.48

-43.07%

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

$2.27 €2.02

$2.01 $2.01

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.55

$1.37 $1.37

27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 €3.04

$6.04 $6.04

-43.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.33

$7.40 $7.40

-49.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.04

$2.58 $2.58

-54.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.66

$5.68 $5.68

-67.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 €1.37

$45.44 $45.44

-96.61%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.61

$5.91 $5.91

-31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 €11.49

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 €7.03

$13.32 $13.32

-40.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 €15.69

$6.57 $6.57

168.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €2.01

$6.54 $6.54

-65.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.55

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 €1.68

$6.40 $6.40

-70.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.64

$2.10 $2.10

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.75

$2.21 $2.21

-10.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.29

$4.89 $4.89

-70.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 €5.97

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €5.04

$14.86 $14.86

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.88

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 €39.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 €3.51

$4.87 $4.87

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 €15.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.95

$1.44 $1.44

52.08%

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

$33.8K €30.0K

$36.8K $36.8K

-8.13%

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

$38.3K €34.0K

$22.3K $22.3K

71.71%

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

$164 €146

$380 $380

-56.92%

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

$18.48 €16.43

$61.0 $61.0

-69.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.96 €29.32

$90.4 $90.4

-63.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.87 €40.80

$60.9 $60.9

-24.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.61

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 €8.67

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

$684 €608

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €92.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.20 €41.09

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 €88.7

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €111

$39.41 $39.41

216.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 €1,414

$789 $789

101.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 €1,040

$375 $375

211.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 €2,536

$778 $778

266.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,773

$812 $812

145.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,793 €6,932

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 €3,930

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 €1,423

$1,019 $1,019

57.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Saipan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.1%

Saipan

–

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$273 12.4%

Saipan

–

Eating Out

Lisbon

$247 11.2%

Saipan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$215 9.8%

Saipan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$168 7.7%

Saipan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$65 3%

Saipan

–

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Saipan

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $789 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $43.00 in Saipan. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $493, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇲🇵 Saipan

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

22:29 10:29 PM

9 h ahead of Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

48,220 Capital

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lisbon Saipan 13,480 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
Saipan

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 Saipan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saipan differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $1,771 including rent). Saipan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $789 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 $43.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,202 per month in Lisbon versus $1,771 in Saipan – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,771 in Saipan versus $2,202 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.