Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,896 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $2,900 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $3,904 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 21% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Santa Cruz 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

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

$2.29 €2.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$2.16 AWG 3.86

-49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.67 AWG 4.78

-34.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$4.51 AWG 8.08

-60.98%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.76 AWG 8.53

-33.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$8.22 AWG 14.71

60.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$7.31 AWG 13.09

9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$6.69 AWG 11.98

132.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$4.51 AWG 8.07

-47.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$4.42 AWG 7.91

-61.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$8.22 AWG 14.71

-75.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$6.84 AWG 12.24

-64.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$6.55 AWG 11.72

-73.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.98 AWG 3.54

2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$3.08 AWG 5.51

-37.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$4.39 AWG 7.86

-80.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.08 AWG 18.03

-34.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$19.08 AWG 34.15

-70.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.55 AWG 4.56

-47.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.98 AWG 5.32

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.92 AWG 3.43

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$154 AWG 276

-70.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$19.72 AWG 35.28

-78.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$19.11 AWG 34.20

-3.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

$139 AWG 249

6.21%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$70.9 AWG 127

-71.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$207 AWG 371

-80.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$69.9 AWG 125

-31.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$47.83 AWG 85.6

-61.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$8.27 AWG 14.80

11.49%

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

$616 €539

$140 AWG 250

340.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$76.1 AWG 136

34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$109 AWG 196

-61.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$138 AWG 246

-31.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$140 AWG 250

-12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$1,299 AWG 2,325

25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$547 AWG 979

125.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$1,571 AWG 2,811

97.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$1,379 AWG 2,467

47.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$3,569 AWG 6,386

-54.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,299 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Cruz differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $1,896 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Santa Cruz. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,299 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 60% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,896 in Santa Cruz – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,896 in Santa Cruz versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.