Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Samana Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Samana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $740 in Samana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,212 in Samana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,685 in Samana.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 210% more expensive than in Samana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Samana is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.64 DOP 507

103.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$42.56 DOP 2,501

47.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.17 DOP 421

61.51%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.88 DOP 110

64.89%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.73 DOP 42.86

241.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.39 DOP 22.71

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.48 DOP 146

40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.10 DOP 241

-16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.19 DOP 69.7

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.85 DOP 109

3.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.61 DOP 94.4

-6.83%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.53 DOP 90.0

160.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$6.50 DOP 382

104.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$3.59 DOP 211

123.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$4.98 DOP 293

262.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.65 DOP 215

-35.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.48 DOP 87.1

18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.28 DOP 193

-43.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.92 DOP 113

32.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$3.70 DOP 218

-50.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.90 DOP 171

-27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.95 DOP 56.0

56.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.64 DOP 96.1

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$4.85 DOP 285

46.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$8.37 DOP 492

-29.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.99 DOP 176

-56.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.49 DOP 205

-38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.81 DOP 47.74

191.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.47 DOP 145

65.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$3.41 DOP 200

-66.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.24 DOP 72.8

86.29%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$15.0K DOP 879.6K

127.99%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$25.6K DOP 1.5M

61.68%

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

$169 €147

$97.4 DOP 5,725

73.00%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$16.79 DOP 987

15.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$39.47 DOP 2,319

-15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$5.19 DOP 305

84.39%

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

$696 €607

$154 DOP 9,075

350.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,675 DOP 333.4K

205.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$27.45 DOP 1,613

283.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$46.31 DOP 2,721

3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$62.4 DOP 3,664

61.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$69.0 DOP 4,055

80.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$137 DOP 8,044

1113.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$100 DOP 5,902

1140.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$342 DOP 20.1K

767.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$257 DOP 15.1K

696.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-65.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Samana: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $137 in Samana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $43.00 in Samana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $224 per month, with Samana cheaper across the board.

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 Samana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Samana differ by about 210% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $740 including rent). Samana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $1,110 in Samana to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $137 in Samana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $740 in Samana – a 210% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $740 in Samana versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samana but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Samana 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 Samana 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 Samana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.