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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,224 in San Marino.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,791 in San Marino.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $2,357 in San Marino.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 83% more expensive than San Marino, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, San Marino is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$17.58 €14.99

-10.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$68.8 €58.7

-8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$8.66 €7.39

19.17%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$1.72 €1.46

63.37%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$2.27 €1.93

2.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.54 €1.32

-1.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$4.57 €3.90

-26.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$6.42 €5.48

-39.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.15 €0.98

-6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.27 €1.94

5.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.14 €0.97

57.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.59 €0.51

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$5.90 €5.03

15.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$4.63 €3.95

26.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$1.79 €1.52

27.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$28.58 €24.38

64.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$11.47 €9.79

-64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.38 €1.18

-41.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$25.10 €21.41

-24.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$2.00 €1.71

4.50%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

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

$39.7K €33.9K

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

$150 €128

$116 €99.3

28.51%

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

$20.49 €17.48

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$34.25 €29.22

14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$58.9 €50.2

-15.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$29.44 €25.11

-37.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$8.02 €6.84

14.71%

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

$624 €533

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$81.6 €69.6

25.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$34.31 €29.26

19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$57.0 €48.64

112.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$632 €539

161.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$571 €487

115.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$839 €716

262.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$792 €675

160.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,985 €2,546

163.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$2,914 €2,486

47.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$3,698 €3,154

-57.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.55

7.32%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for San Marino: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $632 in San Marino. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Marino pays 136% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $69 in San Marino. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $43, with San Marino cheaper for home cooking.

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 Marino: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Marino differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $1,224 including rent). San Marino is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, San Marino earns 136% 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $632 in San Marino. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 533% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,224 in San Marino – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,224 in San Marino versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Marino but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Marino 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 Marino 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 Marino gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.