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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $868 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Lisbon versus $1,448 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Lisbon versus $2,027 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 154% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Santa Cruz is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.78

$7.44 JMD 1,172

111.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.2

$63.3 JMD 9,961

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.24

$8.76 JMD 1,379

20.21%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.53

$4.35 JMD 685

-33.79%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$1.35 JMD 213

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$0.71 JMD 112

119.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.97

$2.44 JMD 384

38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.42

$3.16 JMD 498

23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$4.44 JMD 699

-75.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$3.61 JMD 569

-52.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.58 JMD 248

11.39%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.77

$3.58 JMD 564

-11.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.66

$10.92 JMD 1,719

21.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.90

$6.53 JMD 1,029

20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.89

$7.57 JMD 1,192

109.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$5.93 JMD 934

-59.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$3.01 JMD 474

-43.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$4.14 JMD 653

-50.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$3.01 JMD 475

-16.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$2.09 JMD 330

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.99 JMD 314

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$2.97 JMD 468

-32.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.68

$1.48 JMD 233

-47.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.83

$8.88 JMD 1,398

-25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.07

$11.15 JMD 1,756

-48.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.87 JMD 452

-51.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$3.10 JMD 488

-2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.88

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$1.11 JMD 175

267.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$3.09 JMD 487

-74.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.36

$6.36 JMD 1,001

193.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.23 JMD 194

62.60%

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

$35.4K €31.0K

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-17.38%

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

$39.1K €34.3K

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

16.94%

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

$150 €132

$161 JMD 25.4K

-6.93%

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

$20.55 €18.03

$21.95 JMD 3,457

-6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.61

$51.8 JMD 8,162

-23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.17

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.40

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.16

$13.26 JMD 2,087

-29.86%

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

$628 €551

$227 JMD 35.7K

176.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$2,505 JMD 394.4K

556.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.1

$25.76 JMD 4,057

294.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.45

$25.96 JMD 4,087

60.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.1

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

31.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$76.2 JMD 12.0K

60.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,081

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,742

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,805

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,810

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,848

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,422

$401 JMD 63.1K

304.74%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 305% 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 $63.0 in Santa Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $351 per month, with Lisbon 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Cruz differ by about 154% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $868 including rent). Santa Cruz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 305% 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 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $868 in Santa Cruz – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $868 in Santa Cruz versus $2,210 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 154% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.