Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Pawl Il-bahar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and San Pawl Il-bahar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,734 in San Pawl Il-bahar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,623 in San Pawl Il-bahar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,511 in San Pawl Il-bahar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 27% more expensive than San Pawl Il-bahar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, San Pawl Il-bahar 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$20.55 €17.69

-22.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$78.5 €67.6

-17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$10.80 €9.30

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.53 €2.18

13.44%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.06 €2.64

-26.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$2.28 €1.97

-34.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$4.27 €3.67

-18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.48 €3.86

-13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.40 €1.20

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.24 €1.07

41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.54 €2.19

-30.71%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.61 €3.11

-10.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$9.96 €8.58

35.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.12 €6.99

-2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$9.88 €8.51

60.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.04 €2.62

-24.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.10 €1.81

-19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.09 €2.66

-34.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.97 €2.55

-17.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.58 €1.36

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.35 €1.17

48.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.25 €1.08

54.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.23 €1.06

-35.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.62 €5.70

-0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.30 €7.15

-31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.57 €1.35

-12.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.99 €1.71

49.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.93 €2.53

-19.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.95 €5.13

-27.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.62 €2.26

-68.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$48.29 €41.59

-62.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.52 €1.31

35.53%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$39.5K €34.0K

-13.23%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$38.4K €33.1K

2.35%

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

$148 €127

$67.3 €58.0

119.62%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$20.07 €17.28

2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$43.02 €37.05

-7.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$63.2 €54.5

-24.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.75 €19.59

-16.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$10.36 €8.92

-11.39%

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

$614 €529

$422 €363

45.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$11.1K €9,553

44.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$70.0 €60.3

49.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$28.11 €24.21

49.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$93.5 €80.5

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$93.4 €80.5

28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$960 €826

69.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$807 €695

55.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,532 €1,319

97.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,292 €1,112

56.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$3,608 €3,106

116.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$3,058 €2,633

39.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,750 €1,507

-8.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.28

16.16%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Pawl Il-bahar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $960 in San Pawl Il-bahar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Pawl Il-bahar pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $79.0 in San Pawl Il-bahar. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $262, with San Pawl Il-bahar 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 Pawl Il-bahar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and San Pawl Il-bahar differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,734 including rent). San Pawl Il-bahar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, San Pawl Il-bahar earns 9% 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $960 in San Pawl Il-bahar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,734 in San Pawl Il-bahar – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,734 in San Pawl Il-bahar versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Pawl Il-bahar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes San Pawl Il-bahar 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 Pawl Il-bahar 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 Pawl Il-bahar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.