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: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $878 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $1,429 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $1,981 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 157% more expensive than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.43

$7.66 JMD 1,213

106.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.7

$62.0 JMD 9,819

3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.80

$8.89 JMD 1,407

16.65%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$4.39 JMD 695

-34.17%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$1.31 JMD 207

70.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.31

$0.76 JMD 120

103.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.87

$2.56 JMD 405

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.31

$3.15 JMD 498

23.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.95

$4.44 JMD 703

-74.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$3.62 JMD 573

-50.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.48

$1.55 JMD 246

12.90%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.69

$3.48 JMD 550

-8.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.46

$10.91 JMD 1,727

23.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.61

$6.50 JMD 1,029

19.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.29

$7.69 JMD 1,216

103.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$5.99 JMD 948

-61.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$3.15 JMD 499

-45.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.64

$4.31 JMD 682

-55.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.14

$2.96 JMD 468

-14.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$2.10 JMD 332

-14.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$2.02 JMD 320

1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.64

$3.09 JMD 490

-37.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.50 JMD 237

-46.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.65

$8.68 JMD 1,374

-23.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.91

$11.38 JMD 1,801

-49.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.13

$2.88 JMD 455

-53.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$3.22 JMD 510

-9.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.57

$1.12 JMD 177

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$3.27 JMD 517

-75.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.88

$6.12 JMD 968

205.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.23 JMD 194

69.92%

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

$34.6K €29.4K

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

-20.36%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

19.12%

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

$146 €124

$161 JMD 25.5K

-9.50%

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

$20.84 €17.69

$21.96 JMD 3,476

-5.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.77

$51.8 JMD 8,200

-23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.25

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.70

$12.91 JMD 2,043

-29.74%

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

$618 €525

$225 JMD 35.6K

174.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.7K

$2,521 JMD 398.9K

541.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €88.8

$26.24 JMD 4,153

298.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.42

$25.28 JMD 4,001

60.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.6

$70.6 JMD 11.2K

32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

59.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,362

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,070

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,602

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,705

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,539

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,391

$401 JMD 63.4K

308.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.15

-58.36%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $0 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 309% 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 in Lisbon vs $62 in Santa Cruz. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $354, 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 157% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $878 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 309% more on average, 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 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Lisbon versus $878 in Santa Cruz – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $878 in Santa Cruz versus $2,258 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 157% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.