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 $1,319 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,032 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,745 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 72% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Santa Cruz is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$7.51 JMD 1,180

133.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$62.6 JMD 9,839

2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.53 JMD 1,025

78.41%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$5.37 JMD 844

-39.29%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.25 JMD 196

99.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.68 JMD 107

145.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.26 JMD 355

53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.12 JMD 490

14.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$4.21 JMD 661

-71.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.53 JMD 397

-22.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.62 JMD 254

-3.70%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.53 JMD 554

13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$11.47 JMD 1,802

15.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.35 JMD 998

32.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$10.43 JMD 1,638

74.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$5.98 JMD 939

-61.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$3.93 JMD 618

-55.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$7.46 JMD 1,171

-74.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.98 JMD 469

-11.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$3.22 JMD 506

-40.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.61 JMD 411

-19.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$3.15 JMD 495

-54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.44 JMD 226

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$9.61 JMD 1,510

-27.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$11.48 JMD 1,803

-48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.95 JMD 463

-53.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.95 JMD 620

-45.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.19 JMD 187

252.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$3.07 JMD 482

-64.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$6.42 JMD 1,009

168.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.38 JMD 217

63.04%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

-22.58%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

24.58%

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

$171 €147

$178 JMD 27.9K

-3.82%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$28.99 JMD 4,554

-34.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$52.1 JMD 8,178

-34.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$37.11 JMD 5,829

33.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$13.09 JMD 2,056

-22.84%

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

$699 €603

$361 JMD 56.7K

93.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,150 JMD 1.3M

118.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$24.06 JMD 3,780

334.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$31.68 JMD 4,977

51.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

33.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$105 JMD 16.4K

22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$313 JMD 49.2K

292.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$504 JMD 79.2K

301.22%

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

$409 JMD 64.3K

295.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

9.45

-60.00%

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 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 296% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $63.0 in Santa Cruz. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $374, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 72% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,319 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 296% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 33% 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 $1,319 in Santa Cruz – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,319 in Santa Cruz versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,500 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 72% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.