Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Marco Argentano Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Marco Argentano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $1,408 in San Marco Argentano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $2,164 in San Marco Argentano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $2,921 in San Marco Argentano.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 60% more expensive than San Marco Argentano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, San Marco Argentano 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$17.51 €14.90

-9.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$57.0 €48.53

12.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$11.76 €10.01

-11.82%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$1.37 €1.17

110.95%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$1.18 €1.00

88.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$0.56 €0.48

176.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$2.27 €1.93

48.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$3.54 €3.02

10.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.49 €1.27

-24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.18 €1.00

52.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.24 €1.91

-21.88%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$3.22 €2.74

-1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$5.65 €4.81

138.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$5.92 €5.03

31.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$11.45 €9.74

36.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$1.70 €1.45

34.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.56 €1.33

9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.43 €1.22

34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$1.75 €1.49

44.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.15 €0.98

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$1.17 €1.00

75.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$0.92 €0.78

110.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.47 €0.40

72.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$5.72 €4.87

16.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$4.67 €3.97

23.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.15 €0.98

15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$2.28 €1.94

27.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.70 €1.44

38.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$42.62 €36.27

7.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$6.88 €5.85

-38.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.52 €1.29

-46.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$58.6 €49.83

-68.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.96 €1.67

6.63%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$21.8K €18.6K

58.59%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$25.0K €21.3K

58.65%

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

$146 €124

$114 €97.4

27.39%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$14.32 €12.18

45.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$29.50 €25.10

34.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$55.8 €47.51

-12.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$22.99 €19.57

-18.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$9.02 €7.67

0.55%

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

$618 €526

$173 €147

257.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$11.6K €9,889

39.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$79.2 €67.4

32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$29.45 €25.06

37.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$88.2 €75.1

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$106 €90.1

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$744 €633

115.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$576 €490

118.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$1,206 €1,027

154.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$937 €797

114.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$2,959 €2,518

160.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$2,121 €1,805

105.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

$1,731 €1,473

-5.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

90.50%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for San Marco Argentano: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $744 in San Marco Argentano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Marco Argentano pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $57 in San Marco Argentano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $196 per month, with San Marco Argentano 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 Marco Argentano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Marco Argentano differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $1,408 including rent). San Marco Argentano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, San Marco Argentano earns 6% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $744 in San Marco Argentano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $173 in San Marco Argentano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,408 in San Marco Argentano versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Marco Argentano but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Marco Argentano 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 Marco Argentano 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 Marco Argentano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.