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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $841 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,371 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,900 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 171% more expensive than in Santa Cruz do Sul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Santa Cruz do Sul is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$4.45 R$22.58

253.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$27.48 R$139

131.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$4.59 R$23.27

127.67%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$1.64 R$8.34

77.44%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.17 R$5.93

95.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.77 R$3.91

94.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.19 R$11.11

62.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.66 R$13.49

48.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.84 R$4.28

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.39 R$7.04

26.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.09 R$5.55

55.96%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.08 R$10.53

56.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$11.09 R$56.3

19.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.64 R$23.55

65.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$9.33 R$47.35

69.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.00 R$10.15

14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.27 R$6.44

30.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.26 R$6.41

60.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.52 R$7.69

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.14 R$5.77

57.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.06 R$5.40

95.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.78 R$3.95

152.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.58 R$2.95

43.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$1.88 R$9.55

248.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$7.91 R$40.12

-29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.01 R$5.15

31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.87 R$9.48

60.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.92 R$4.69

146.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$39.24 R$199

18.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.59 R$8.05

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.02 R$5.17

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$5.29 R$26.84

255.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.06 R$5.36

90.57%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$24.0K R$121.9K

45.53%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$27.2K R$138.2K

45.57%

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

$148 €128

$61.1 R$310

142.27%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$14.79 R$75.1

38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$19.59 R$99.4

101.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$22.09 R$112

118.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$21.95 R$111

-16.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.43 R$32.63

41.52%

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

$615 €532

$304 R$1,541

102.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$7,296 R$37.0K

123.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$49.15 R$249

106.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$57.2 R$290

-26.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$81.7 R$415

12.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$63.0 R$319

93.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$497 R$2,520

224.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$277 R$1,403

353.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$871 R$4,422

252.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$571 R$2,899

256.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$393 R$1,992

307.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-61.90%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $497 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 308% 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 $27.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $190 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 171% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $841 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 308% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $497 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $304 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $841 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $2,280 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 171% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.