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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,163 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 205% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Santa Cruz, Laguna is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$1.81 ₱111

794.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$8.80 ₱542

619.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$3.07 ₱189

236.16%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.10 ₱129

34.76%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.43 ₱26.23

432.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.28 ₱17.43

464.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.22 ₱75.3

178.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.09 ₱67.0

269.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.81 ₱112

-39.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.25 ₱77.3

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.04 ₱63.9

69.23%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.72 ₱106

84.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$5.18 ₱319

154.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.35 ₱268

83.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$7.26 ₱447

113.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.58 ₱97.0

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.52 ₱31.79

228.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.55 ₱95.6

29.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.63 ₱101

49.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.90 ₱179

-39.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$4.00 ₱246

-49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.57 ₱96.7

22.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.06 ₱65.3

-19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.17 ₱195

107.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$9.17 ₱564

-39.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.61 ₱99.4

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.94 ₱120

53.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.26 ₱15.81

776.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.79 ₱48.46

435.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.22 ₱13.48

268.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.14 ₱132

761.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.10 ₱68.0

89.09%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$25.9K ₱1.6M

33.73%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

91.04%

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

$148 €130

$95.2 ₱5,863

55.45%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$33.23 ₱2,046

-38.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$30.15 ₱1,856

31.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$33.67 ₱2,073

42.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$4.30 ₱265

332.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.89 ₱424

33.82%

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

$616 €539

$81.0 ₱4,989

660.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,775 ₱170.9K

492.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$32.05 ₱1,973

220.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$29.37 ₱1,808

42.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$99.3 ₱6,110

-4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$95.8 ₱5,897

27.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$265 ₱16.3K

515.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$173 ₱10.7K

611.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$588 ₱36.2K

426.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$400 ₱24.6K

407.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$2,399 ₱147.7K

226.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,116 ₱68.7K

293.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $265 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $192 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 205% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $752 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 $3,437 in Lisbon and $1,128 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $265 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna – a 205% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna versus $2,291 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 205% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.