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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,909 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,918 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,927 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 19% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Santa Cruz 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

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

$2.49 €2.15

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.18 AWG 3.91

-45.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.74 AWG 4.90

-28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$4.54 AWG 8.13

-65.64%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.76 AWG 8.52

-15.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$7.84 AWG 14.04

69.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.66 AWG 13.71

9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$6.57 AWG 11.75

177.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$4.56 AWG 8.16

-49.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$4.55 AWG 8.15

-61.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$8.53 AWG 15.26

-77.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$6.68 AWG 11.95

-60.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$6.67 AWG 11.95

-71.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.98 AWG 3.54

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.98 AWG 5.32

-51.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$4.57 AWG 8.17

-82.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.45 AWG 18.70

-32.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$19.35 AWG 34.63

-69.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.43 AWG 4.35

-44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.09 AWG 5.53

-30.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.91 AWG 3.41

24.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$157 AWG 280

-70.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$19.36 AWG 34.65

-78.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$19.18 AWG 34.34

-10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$141 AWG 253

20.94%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$70.9 AWG 127

-73.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$204 AWG 366

-83.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$69.7 AWG 125

-28.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$46.99 AWG 84.1

-58.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.21 AWG 14.69

23.02%

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

$699 €603

$137 AWG 245

410.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$77.9 AWG 139

34.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$109 AWG 196

-56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$138 AWG 246

-25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$138 AWG 246

-6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$1,305 AWG 2,336

27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$549 AWG 982

123.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,534 AWG 2,746

89.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,375 AWG 2,462

47.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$3,647 AWG 6,528

-55.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,305 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 125% 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 19% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,909 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,305 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 54% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,909 in Santa Cruz – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,909 in Santa Cruz versus $2,268 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 19% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.