Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sal Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,014 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,540 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,066 in Sal.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 118% more expensive than Sal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Sal is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$5.80 CVE 549

174.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$46.87 CVE 4,437

38.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.28 CVE 690

44.37%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.28 CVE 216

25.88%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.43 CVE 230

-7.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.12 CVE 106

33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.85 CVE 364

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.11 CVE 295

24.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.50 CVE 142

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.22 CVE 210

-21.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.55 CVE 147

13.55%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.87 CVE 272

12.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$11.06 CVE 1,048

21.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.21 CVE 777

-3.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$16.60 CVE 1,572

-4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.93 CVE 278

-21.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.54 CVE 240

-33.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.94 CVE 279

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$4.16 CVE 394

-40.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.63 CVE 154

12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.97 CVE 186

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.84 CVE 174

4.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.14 CVE 108

-30.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.84 CVE 459

36.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$6.99 CVE 662

-18.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.98 CVE 283

-54.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.97 CVE 187

50.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.03 CVE 97.7

130.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$2.13 CVE 201

101.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.83 CVE 268

-71.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$12.83 CVE 1,214

42.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.43 CVE 135

44.06%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$89.8 CVE 8,500

64.70%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$55.2 CVE 5,225

-28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$35.47 CVE 3,358

34.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

$150 CVE 14.2K

310.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

530.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$31.74 CVE 3,006

229.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$146 CVE 13.8K

-18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$335 CVE 31.7K

385.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$295 CVE 27.9K

325.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$446 CVE 42.2K

579.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$400 CVE 37.9K

405.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$674 CVE 63.8K

1056.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$348 CVE 33.0K

1126.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$263 CVE 24.9K

509.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.17

-38.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $335 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 510% 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 $47.00 in Sal. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $304, 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 Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sal differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,014 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 510% 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 $335 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,014 in Sal – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Sal versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sal 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 Sal 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 Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.