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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,962 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,548 in Santa Tecla.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 61% more expensive than Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Santa Tecla 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$7.81 $7.81

103.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$35.13 $35.13

84.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.09 $7.09

48.24%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.31 $3.31

-13.29%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.09 $1.09

105.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.90 $0.90

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$2.04 $2.04

71.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.92 $2.92

32.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.76 $1.76

-35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.05 $2.05

-14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.55 $1.55

13.55%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.38 $2.38

35.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.94 $6.94

94.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.62 $5.62

40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$10.80 $10.80

46.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.09 $3.09

-25.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.66 $1.66

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.62 $2.62

-23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.62 $2.62

-6.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.26 $2.26

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.13 $2.13

-6.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.00 $1.00

93.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.07 $1.07

-26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$4.06 $4.06

62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$11.21 $11.21

-48.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.71 $1.71

-19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.53 $2.53

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.44 $5.44

-21.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$3.00 $3.00

-72.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$20.18 $20.18

-9.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$0.98 $0.98

110.20%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

32.38%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

37.82%

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

$148 €127

$103 $103

43.98%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$19.19 $19.19

6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$42.32 $42.32

-6.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$24.70 $24.70

93.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.11 $5.11

79.65%

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

$614 €528

$147 $147

317.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,045 $6,045

165.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$67.0 $67.0

56.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$43.92 $43.92

-4.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$114 $114

-17.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$106 $106

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$786 $786

107.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$606 $606

107.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,210 $1,210

150.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$913 $913

121.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$413 $413

288.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.58

-55.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 289% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Santa Tecla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $248 per month, with Santa Tecla 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 Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Tecla differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,375 including rent). Santa Tecla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 289% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $1,375 in Santa Tecla – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,375 in Santa Tecla versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santa Tecla but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Tecla 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 Tecla 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 Tecla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.