Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Gwann Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Gwann

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $2,030 in San Gwann.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $3,089 in San Gwann.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $4,149 in San Gwann.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 11% more expensive than San Gwann, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, San Gwann 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$21.65 €18.66

-26.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$70.2 €60.5

-9.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$11.50 €9.90

-9.74%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.62 €2.26

6.49%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.12 €1.82

10.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.11 €0.96

41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$4.60 €3.96

-25.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.61 €3.97

-15.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.35 €1.17

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.58 €1.36

12.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$3.37 €2.90

-49.26%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$3.62 €3.12

-12.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$9.72 €8.38

40.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$10.63 €9.16

-24.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$14.02 €12.08

10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.34 €2.87

-31.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.02 €1.74

-18.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.82 €2.43

-31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$3.26 €2.81

-23.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.78 €1.53

0.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.58 €1.36

27.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.85 €1.60

6.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.67 €0.58

25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$6.62 €5.71

2.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.70 €4.91

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.21 €1.04

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.36 €1.17

122.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.26 €1.94

0.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$14.93 €12.86

204.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$7.04 €6.07

-39.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.86 €1.61

-54.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$34.49 €29.72

-47.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.53 €1.32

30.07%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$26.4K €22.7K

32.88%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$28.6K €24.6K

38.46%

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

$146 €126

$117 €101

24.72%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$29.62 €25.52

-30.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$33.43 €28.80

16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$58.7 €50.6

-16.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$23.52 €20.26

-19.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$10.25 €8.83

-7.12%

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

$608 €524

$448 €386

35.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$11.5K €9,868

44.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$56.3 €48.49

84.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$62.7 €54.0

-32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$84.4 €72.8

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$132 €113

-8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$1,228 €1,058

32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$955 €823

32.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$2,387 €2,057

27.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$1,692 €1,458

18.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$5,761 €4,964

33.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$2,941 €2,534

47.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,791 €1,543

-11.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.28

-10.98%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for San Gwann: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $1,228 in San Gwann. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Gwann pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $70.0 in San Gwann for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $282 per month, with Lisbon 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 San Gwann: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Gwann differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $2,030 including rent). San Gwann is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, San Gwann earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $1,228 in San Gwann. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $448 in San Gwann. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,030 in San Gwann versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Gwann but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Gwann 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 San Gwann 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 San Gwann gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.