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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,060 in Saku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,654 in Saku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,248 in Saku.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 108% more expensive than Saku, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Saku is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$16.29 €14.01

-2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$70.5 €60.7

-8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$9.51 €8.18

10.52%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.76 €3.24

-23.67%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.58 €2.22

-13.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.58 €2.22

-41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.14 €4.42

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$5.85 €5.03

-33.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.28 €1.10

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.41 €1.21

24.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.27 €1.96

-22.47%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.87 €2.47

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$12.57 €10.81

7.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.52 €7.33

-7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$11.48 €9.87

38.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.92 €1.65

20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.53 €1.32

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.45 €2.11

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.50 €2.15

-1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.03 €0.89

78.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.98 €0.84

104.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.94 €1.67

-0.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.01 €0.87

-21.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$6.41 €5.52

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$10.71 €9.21

-46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.91 €1.64

-28.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.11 €1.82

40.76%

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

$3.37 €2.90

27.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.75 €0.65

9.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$17.19 €14.79

6.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.85 €1.59

11.35%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$29.4K €25.3K

16.47%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.5K €26.3K

28.62%

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

$148 €127

$269 €231

-44.93%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$20.12 €17.31

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$36.35 €31.27

8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$11.69 €10.05

-21.47%

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

$614 €528

$116 €99.5

431.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$7,882 €6,781

103.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$114 €97.7

-7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$39.00 €33.55

7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$98.5 €84.7

-4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$109 €93.9

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$4,269 €3,672

82.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$2,761 €2,375

54.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$1,884 €1,621

-14.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.3

-11.40%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Saku pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $71.0 in Saku. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $263, 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 108% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,060 including rent). Saku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Saku earns 18% less. 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 2% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,060 in Saku – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,060 in Saku versus $2,210 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 108% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.