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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $997 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,518 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,038 in Sal.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 130% more expensive than in Sal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Sal is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$5.72 CVE 552

183.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$46.66 CVE 4,500

35.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$7.38 CVE 712

39.84%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.37 CVE 229

19.41%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.43 CVE 234

-5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.17 CVE 113

35.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.98 CVE 384

-14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.22 CVE 311

25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.47 CVE 142

-25.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.18 CVE 210

-19.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.54 CVE 149

14.29%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.73 CVE 264

16.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$11.08 CVE 1,068

19.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$8.32 CVE 803

-4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$16.37 CVE 1,579

-5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.82 CVE 272

-15.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.55 CVE 246

-32.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.97 CVE 286

-32.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$4.05 CVE 390

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.62 CVE 156

8.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.99 CVE 192

2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.86 CVE 180

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.11 CVE 107

-23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$4.74 CVE 457

38.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$6.65 CVE 641

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$3.07 CVE 296

-56.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.96 CVE 189

51.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.04 CVE 100

119.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.12 CVE 205

99.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.77 CVE 267

-70.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$13.00 CVE 1,254

41.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.48 CVE 143

40.54%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

$91.3 CVE 8,808

62.10%

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

$20.46 €17.90

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$56.0 CVE 5,402

-29.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$34.94 CVE 3,370

37.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

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

$616 €539

$146 CVE 14.0K

322.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,548 CVE 245.8K

545.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$31.14 CVE 3,003

229.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$145 CVE 14.0K

-15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$333 CVE 32.2K

389.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$294 CVE 28.4K

318.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$440 CVE 42.5K

603.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$388 CVE 37.4K

423.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$672 CVE 64.8K

1064.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$343 CVE 33.1K

1178.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$257 CVE 24.8K

525.45%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sal: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $333 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 525% 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 $267 vs $301, 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 130% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $997 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 525% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $333 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 $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $997 in Sal – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Sal versus $2,291 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 130% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.