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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $888 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,374 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,860 in Sal.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 161% more expensive than in Sal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Sal is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$5.95 CVE 564

190.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$46.67 CVE 4,428

35.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$11.41 CVE 1,083

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$2.43 CVE 231

31.28%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$2.72 CVE 258

-9.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.18 CVE 112

49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$4.79 CVE 454

-25.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.08 CVE 293

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.58 CVE 150

-21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.33 CVE 221

-15.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.23 CVE 117

23.58%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$2.91 CVE 276

38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$9.60 CVE 911

41.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$7.82 CVE 742

7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$16.71 CVE 1,586

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.34 CVE 317

-31.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.48 CVE 235

-29.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.45 CVE 327

-46.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$4.03 CVE 383

-34.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.72 CVE 163

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.92 CVE 182

8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.62 CVE 153

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.13 CVE 107

-25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$4.78 CVE 453

41.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$6.87 CVE 652

-16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$4.14 CVE 393

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.96 CVE 186

13.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.03 CVE 98.1

133.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$2.08 CVE 198

100.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.19 CVE 303

-64.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$13.22 CVE 1,254

33.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.37 CVE 130

69.34%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$170 €146

$63.5 CVE 6,024

168.28%

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

$19.34 €16.62

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$50.6 CVE 4,804

-33.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$29.27 CVE 2,777

64.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

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

$717 €617

$120 CVE 11.4K

496.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$30.98 CVE 2,939

238.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$145 CVE 13.8K

-14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$267 CVE 25.4K

527.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$172 CVE 16.4K

637.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$317 CVE 30.1K

840.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$207 CVE 19.6K

864.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$682 CVE 64.7K

1047.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$349 CVE 33.1K

1235.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$267 CVE 25.3K

493.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

5.25

-27.81%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $267 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 494% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $47.00 in Sal. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $307, 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 161% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $888 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 494% 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $267 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $888 in Sal – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in Sal versus $2,316 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 161% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.