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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,875 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,911 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,947 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 18% more expensive than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Santa Cruz 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$2.24 €1.93

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.09 AWG 3.74

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.63 AWG 4.70

-33.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$4.46 AWG 7.99

-60.54%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.54 AWG 8.12

-29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.82 AWG 14.00

72.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.64 AWG 13.68

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$6.75 AWG 12.08

135.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.54 AWG 8.13

-49.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$4.37 AWG 7.82

-61.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$8.30 AWG 14.84

-75.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$6.85 AWG 12.25

-64.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$6.76 AWG 12.09

-72.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.96 AWG 3.51

2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$3.02 AWG 5.40

-36.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$4.42 AWG 7.91

-82.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$10.34 AWG 18.51

-36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$19.28 AWG 34.50

-70.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.57 AWG 4.60

-46.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.03 AWG 5.43

-1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.99 AWG 3.56

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$158 AWG 283

-71.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$19.24 AWG 34.44

-77.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$19.29 AWG 34.53

-5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$138 AWG 247

7.11%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$72.5 AWG 130

-71.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$200 AWG 359

-80.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$70.6 AWG 126

-32.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$47.00 AWG 84.1

-59.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$8.09 AWG 14.48

13.47%

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

$614 €528

$140 AWG 251

338.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$76.6 AWG 137

36.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$111 AWG 198

-61.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$137 AWG 245

-31.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$140 AWG 251

-14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,268 AWG 2,269

28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$561 AWG 1,004

123.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,566 AWG 2,803

93.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,379 AWG 2,467

46.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$3,639 AWG 6,512

-55.94%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,268 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 127% 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 18% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,875 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Cruz earns 127% 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 $1,268 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 59% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,875 in Santa Cruz – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Santa Cruz is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 18% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.