Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saku Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saku

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,119 in Saku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,749 in Saku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,378 in Saku.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 105% more expensive than in Saku, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Saku is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.24

$17.16 €14.87

2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.5

$74.8 €64.8

-15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.04

$11.64 €10.08

-0.52%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$4.22 €3.66

-26.54%

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

$2.49 €2.16

$2.14 €1.85

16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$2.19 €1.89

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.02

$6.82 €5.91

-48.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$6.56 €5.69

-47.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.18 €1.02

-2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.39 €1.21

37.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.36 €2.05

-36.44%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$3.09 €2.67

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.52

$11.12 €9.64

19.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$9.07 €7.86

-11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.64

$15.08 €13.06

19.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.22 €1.92

5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.47 €1.28

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.50 €2.16

-26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$3.09 €2.68

-17.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.83 €0.72

121.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$0.83 €0.72

153.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.85 €1.60

-19.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.92 €0.80

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$7.09 €6.14

0.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$10.53 €9.12

-43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$2.02 €1.75

-35.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.14 €1.85

-0.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$3.62 €3.14

12.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.05 €0.91

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.81

$27.73 €24.03

-38.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.90 €1.64

21.58%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$28.5K €24.7K

19.55%

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

$41.4K €35.9K

$32.2K €27.9K

28.57%

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

$169 €146

$319 €277

-47.19%

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

$19.33 €16.75

$18.03 €15.63

7.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.04

$33.40 €28.94

0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.29

$12.13 €10.51

-21.10%

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

$696 €603

$449 €389

55.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$10.8K €9,367

60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.3

$108 €93.2

-2.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.38

$50.6 €43.85

-5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.1

$108 €93.2

-6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$126 €109

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

$4,144 €3,591

89.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

$2,811 €2,436

58.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,414

$1,865 €1,616

-12.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.53

7.08%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Saku: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Saku pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $75.0 in Saku. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $275, with Saku 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 Saku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saku differ by about 105% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,119 including rent). Saku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Saku. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,119 in Saku – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,119 in Saku versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saku but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saku 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 Saku 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 Saku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.