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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $1,541 in Santa Teresa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $2,320 in Santa Teresa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $3,099 in Santa Teresa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 45% more expensive than Santa Teresa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Santa Teresa 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$10.20 ₡4,637

58.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$42.87 ₡19.5K

50.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.30 ₡4,229

11.61%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.87 ₡1,762

-28.42%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.05 ₡932

9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.64 ₡746

-4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.97 ₡1,349

17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$4.63 ₡2,104

-13.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.06 ₡936

-47.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.86 ₡1,299

-39.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.17 ₡986

-19.82%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.00 ₡1,366

6.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.85 ₡4,480

36.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$9.20 ₡4,185

-13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.43 ₡6,105

19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$4.58 ₡2,083

-50.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.52 ₡692

13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$4.07 ₡1,851

-52.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$3.17 ₡1,442

-19.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.26 ₡1,480

-43.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.55 ₡1,159

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.04 ₡471

90.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.81 ₡1,276

-69.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.08 ₡2,310

34.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$14.18 ₡6,450

-59.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.33 ₡1,059

-41.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.53 ₡1,149

14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.03 ₡468

121.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.80 ₡817

126.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.78 ₡809

-53.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$8.05 ₡3,659

126.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.44 ₡656

39.58%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$37.9K ₡17.2M

-7.00%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$32.5K ₡14.8M

18.26%

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

$145 €124

$82.4 ₡37.5K

76.43%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$25.54 ₡11.6K

-17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$49.55 ₡22.5K

-19.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$49.39 ₡22.5K

-1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$23.62 ₡10.7K

-20.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$9.08 ₡4,131

-0.22%

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

$607 €519

$563 ₡256.2K

7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$12.8K ₡5.8M

28.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$62.2 ₡28.3K

68.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$51.0 ₡23.2K

-19.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$125 ₡56.8K

-25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$108 ₡49.1K

9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$684 ₡311.2K

134.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$599 ₡272.3K

106.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,437 ₡653.3K

112.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$977 ₡444.1K

110.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Santa Teresa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $684 in Santa Teresa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $43.00 in Santa Teresa. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $348, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Teresa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santa Teresa differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $1,541 including rent). Santa Teresa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $2,311 in Santa Teresa 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $684 in Santa Teresa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $1,541 in Santa Teresa – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,541 in Santa Teresa versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santa Teresa but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Teresa 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 Teresa 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 Teresa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.