Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Fernando

For one person, living is cheaper in San Fernando: $1,263 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
San Fernando
🇹🇹 Trinidad And Tobago
$1,263
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in San Fernando

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 San Fernando actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,223 in Lisbon versus $1,263 in San Fernando.

  • Lisbon $2,223
  • San Fernando $1,263

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,271 in Lisbon versus $2,045 in San Fernando.

  • Lisbon $3,271
  • San Fernando $2,045

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,319 in Lisbon versus $2,827 in San Fernando.

  • Lisbon $4,319
  • San Fernando $2,827

Living in Lisbon is roughly 76% more expensive than in San Fernando, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, San Fernando is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.50 €14.67
$10.22 TTD 68.8
61.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 €54.5
$59.6 TTD 401
2.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.03
$8.00 TTD 53.9
40.87%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$3.66 TTD 24.65
-16.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.02 TTD 6.88
121.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.76 TTD 5.09
127.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 €3.02
$1.89 TTD 12.69
79.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.02
$2.63 TTD 17.71
29.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.98 TTD 13.33
-43.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$2.29 TTD 15.41
-18.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$2.92 TTD 19.61
-47.60%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.53
$3.90 TTD 26.27
1.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$6.58 TTD 44.24
93.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.02
$10.17 TTD 68.4
-22.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 €15.09
$9.04 TTD 60.8
87.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$5.59 TTD 37.61
-59.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.57 TTD 17.31
-31.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.60 TTD 24.21
-48.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.28
$4.38 TTD 29.43
-41.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$0.75 TTD 5.05
148.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$0.74 TTD 5.00
172.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.50 TTD 10.11
-4.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.15 TTD 7.73
-28.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.56 €5.83
$5.71 TTD 38.38
14.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.62 €5.00
$17.92 TTD 121
-68.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 €1.14
$1.55 TTD 10.43
-17.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.84
$2.93 TTD 19.74
-29.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.46 TTD 3.10
410.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.18 €39.30
$44.31 TTD 298
-0.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$0.86 TTD 5.79
363.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$0.92 TTD 6.20
18.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.64 €14.81
$14.57 TTD 98.0
14.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.16 TTD 7.81
96.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$36.1K TTD 243.1K
-6.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K €35.0K
$40.3K TTD 270.8K
-2.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €149
$44.87 TTD 302
273.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 €16.72
$42.63 TTD 287
-55.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09 €29.43
$45.78 TTD 308
-27.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.01 €40.93
$50.5 TTD 340
-8.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 €17.07
$22.37 TTD 151
-14.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 €8.75
$8.70 TTD 58.5
13.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$677 €602
$402 TTD 2,702
68.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K €15.1K
$10.9K TTD 73.0K
55.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 €90.1
$53.6 TTD 360
89.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 €40.70
$37.29 TTD 251
22.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 €88.9
$88.1 TTD 593
13.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 €109
$89.7 TTD 603
36.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 €1,436
$517 TTD 3,480
211.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 €1,065
$398 TTD 2,675
200.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,862 €2,545
$914 TTD 6,149
213.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,770
$743 TTD 5,000
167.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,577 €6,740
$1,991 TTD 13.4K
280.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,307 €3,831
$1,492 TTD 10.0K
188.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
San Fernando
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,588 €1,412
$1,043 TTD 7,019
52.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.75
-33.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
San Fernando
$398 66.8% $799
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$269
San Fernando
$320 18.9% $51
Eating Out
Lisbon
$242
San Fernando
$172 29.2% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$219
San Fernando
$133 39.2% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
San Fernando
$121 27.3% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$66
San Fernando
$68 3.4% $2.2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
San Fernando
$52 18% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Lisbon and $517 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 52% 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: $61.0 in Lisbon vs $60.0 in San Fernando. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $320, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇹🇹 San Fernando
🕒 Local time
20:35 8:35 PM
15:35 3:35 PM
5 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
55,419
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TTD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Trinidad and Tobago Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.73 TTD (1 TTD = 0.149 USD). 1 EUR = 7.56 TTD (1 TTD = 0.132 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon San Fernando 6,060 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • San Fernando

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 San Fernando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in San Fernando?
Lisbon and San Fernando differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $1,263 including rent). San Fernando is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or San Fernando?
Average pay runs 52% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in San Fernando?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Lisbon versus $517 in San Fernando. 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 San Fernando?
Childcare runs $677 in Lisbon versus $402 in San Fernando. 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 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,263 in San Fernando versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and San Fernando?
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 San Fernando safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and San Fernando are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or San Fernando?
Expats usually find San Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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