Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Isabel Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santa Isabel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,298 in Santa Isabel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,036 in Santa Isabel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,774 in Santa Isabel.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 77% more expensive than in Santa Isabel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Santa Isabel is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$18.74 $18.74

-6.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$82.9 $82.9

-24.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$9.04 $9.04

28.10%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.77 $3.77

-17.77%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.86 $1.86

33.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.50 $1.50

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.97 $2.97

17.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.90 $4.90

-29.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.32 $1.32

-12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.38 $3.38

-43.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$2.34 $2.34

-35.90%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$6.29 $6.29

-36.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$12.28 $12.28

8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$9.70 $9.70

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$13.49 $13.49

33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$5.08 $5.08

-53.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.57 $2.57

-31.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$4.72 $4.72

-60.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.93 $4.93

-48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$3.79 $3.79

-51.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$3.99 $3.99

-47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$3.50 $3.50

-57.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.58 $1.58

-48.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$12.06 $12.06

-41.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$15.66 $15.66

-62.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$3.08 $3.08

-57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$4.08 $4.08

-47.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.55 $2.55

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.63 $0.63

80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$39.46 $39.46

-56.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.05 $1.05

120.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$40.4K $40.4K

-15.62%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

45.72%

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

$169 €147

$327 $327

-48.38%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$70.2 $70.2

-72.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$69.7 $69.7

-51.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$10.38 $10.38

-7.80%

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

$696 €606

$825 $825

-15.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$12.4K $12.4K

40.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$56.9 $56.9

84.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$61.2 $61.2

-21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$109 $109

-8.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$115 $115

8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.55

-42.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Isabel: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $83.0 in Santa Isabel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $399 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 Isabel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Isabel differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,298 including rent). Santa Isabel is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $1,948 in Santa Isabel 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 44% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,298 in Santa Isabel – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,298 in Santa Isabel versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Isabel but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Isabel 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 Isabel 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 Isabel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.