Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Cruz, Laguna Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Cruz, Laguna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,156 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 199% more expensive than Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Santa Cruz, Laguna is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$1.80 ₱111

783.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$8.66 ₱534

647.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$3.05 ₱188

244.59%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.19 ₱135

31.05%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.43 ₱26.47

420.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.26 ₱15.85

476.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.27 ₱78.4

174.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.08 ₱66.7

259.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.81 ₱111

-37.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.21 ₱74.5

44.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.07 ₱66.0

64.49%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.74 ₱107

85.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$5.38 ₱332

150.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.31 ₱266

83.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$7.16 ₱442

121.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.57 ₱97.1

47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.51 ₱31.34

233.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.56 ₱96.2

28.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.69 ₱104

45.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.86 ₱177

-35.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$4.16 ₱256

-51.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.56 ₱96.3

23.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.04 ₱64.2

-24.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$3.18 ₱196

107.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$8.92 ₱550

-35.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.54 ₱95.3

-11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.98 ₱122

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.26 ₱15.84

811.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.77 ₱47.63

457.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.22 ₱13.53

272.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$2.19 ₱135

735.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.09 ₱67.1

88.99%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$25.4K ₱1.6M

34.88%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

92.86%

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

$148 €127

$94.5 ₱5,826

56.49%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$33.54 ₱2,068

-38.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$29.99 ₱1,849

32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$34.24 ₱2,111

39.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$4.49 ₱277

321.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.91 ₱426

32.85%

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

$614 €528

$81.2 ₱5,005

656.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$2,818 ₱173.7K

469.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$32.30 ₱1,992

224.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$29.26 ₱1,804

43.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$97.3 ₱5,998

-3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$92.8 ₱5,719

29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$271 ₱16.7K

500.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$179 ₱11.0K

602.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$579 ₱35.7K

423.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$399 ₱24.6K

406.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$2,557 ₱157.7K

204.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,067 ₱65.8K

300.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.13

-53.14%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $191 per month, with Santa Cruz, Laguna 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, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Cruz, Laguna differ by about 199% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $738 including rent). Santa Cruz, Laguna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,107 in Santa Cruz, Laguna to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz, Laguna but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz, Laguna 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, Laguna 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, Laguna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.