Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Salerno

For one person, living is cheaper in Salerno: $1,670 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Salerno, Italy
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Salerno
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,670
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Salerno

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Salerno actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,670 in Salerno.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Salerno $1,670

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,576 in Salerno.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Salerno $2,576

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,482 in Salerno.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Salerno $3,482

Living in Lisbon is roughly 32% more expensive than in Salerno, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Salerno 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.96
$13.98 €12.56
19.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$44.63 €40.10
38.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$11.26 €10.11
0.89%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$2.14 €1.92
38.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$2.52 €2.26
-9.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.37 €1.23
27.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$5.47 €4.91
-37.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$4.52 €4.06
-26.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.42 €1.28
-18.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.71 €1.54
11.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$2.06 €1.85
-26.70%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$4.07 €3.66
-1.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$18.51 €16.63
-30.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.99
$12.07 €10.84
-35.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.96
$18.80 €16.89
-5.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$2.58 €2.32
-10.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.71 €1.53
1.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.66 €1.49
12.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$2.22 €1.99
16.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.99 €1.79
-8.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.71 €1.53
15.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.81 €0.73
81.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.36 €0.32
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.92
$6.58 €5.91
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$5.52 €4.96
1.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.56 €1.40
-12.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.24 €2.01
-4.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$1.66 €1.49
40.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$37.60 €33.78
18.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$6.73 €6.05
-42.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$4.00 €3.59
-73.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$22.45 €20.18
-26.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.98 €1.78
11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$35.6K €31.9K
-3.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$35.2K €31.6K
10.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$82.4 €74.0
95.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$13.86 €12.45
32.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$28.71 €25.79
14.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.03
$56.9 €51.1
-21.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$10.98 €9.86
73.95%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$11.16 €10.02
-13.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$276 €248
141.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.7
$110 €98.8
-7.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.95
$28.10 €25.25
58.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$84.2 €75.7
16.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$131 €118
-5.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$986 €886
63.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$704 €633
69.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,527
$1,761 €1,582
59.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,809
$1,269 €1,140
58.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,043
$5,003 €4,495
56.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,111
$2,741 €2,463
66.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Salerno
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$1,641 €1,475
-4.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.25
-9.41%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Salerno: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Salerno
$704 40.8% $486
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Salerno
$309 13.5% $37
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Salerno
$223 8% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Salerno
$125 41.2% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Salerno
$159 4.2% $7
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Salerno
$79 24.2% $15
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Salerno
$71 12.3% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $986 in Salerno. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salerno pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $45 in Salerno. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $309, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇮🇹 Salerno
🕒 Local time
11:56 11:56 AM
12:56 12:56 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
150,188
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Salerno 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Salerno

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Salerno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Salerno?
Lisbon and Salerno differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,670 including rent). Salerno is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Salerno?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $986 in Salerno. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Salerno?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $276 in Salerno. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,670 in Salerno versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salerno but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Salerno the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Salerno?
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.
Is Lisbon or Salerno safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Salerno are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?