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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $893 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,427 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,961 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 157% more expensive than in Santa Cruz do Sul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Santa Cruz do Sul is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$5.49 R$28.22

220.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$39.51 R$203

59.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$4.96 R$25.49

133.47%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.79 R$9.21

73.18%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.36 R$6.98

83.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.91 R$4.69

91.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.35 R$12.08

48.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.95 R$15.15

16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.04 R$5.32

10.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.63 R$8.37

17.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.06 R$5.46

41.51%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.44 R$12.53

63.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$9.91 R$51.0

34.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$4.73 R$24.33

69.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$9.63 R$49.52

87.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.45 R$12.59

-4.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.40 R$7.19

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.43 R$7.34

29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.54 R$7.94

65.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.17 R$6.03

57.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.11 R$5.69

89.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.88 R$4.55

69.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.80 R$4.12

2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$2.39 R$12.31

197.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$7.68 R$39.48

-23.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.10 R$5.63

19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.17 R$11.16

-1.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.00 R$5.15

136.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.24 R$6.38

229.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.79 R$4.06

44.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$7.92 R$40.75

115.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.31 R$6.75

76.34%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$23.4K R$120.6K

45.54%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$33.3K R$171.4K

24.15%

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

$169 €147

$73.6 R$378

129.13%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$12.12 R$62.3

59.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$21.99 R$113

52.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$27.34 R$141

78.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$6.99 R$35.97

36.91%

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

$696 €606

$554 R$2,850

25.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$25.2K R$129.6K

-31.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$50.3 R$259

109.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$57.3 R$295

-16.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$99.4 R$511

1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$77.5 R$398

60.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$543 R$2,791

206.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$300 R$1,543

315.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$917 R$4,714

223.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$617 R$3,172

232.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$393 R$2,021

315.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

11.5

-67.13%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $543 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 315% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $40.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $201 per month, with Santa Cruz do Sul cheaper across the board.

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 do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Cruz do Sul differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $893 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 315% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $543 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $893 in Santa Cruz do Sul – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $893 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz do Sul but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz do Sul 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 do Sul 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 do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.