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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,526 in Santa Teresa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $2,308 in Santa Teresa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $3,091 in Santa Teresa.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 48% more expensive than Santa Teresa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Santa Teresa 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$10.07 ₡4,550

58.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$43.61 ₡19.7K

45.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$9.61 ₡4,343

8.01%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$3.86 ₡1,743

-27.72%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.04 ₡923

14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.65 ₡745

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$3.02 ₡1,367

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$4.74 ₡2,142

-17.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.02 ₡915

-46.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.84 ₡1,283

-37.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.23 ₡1,007

-23.32%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.91 ₡1,314

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$10.03 ₡4,533

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$8.96 ₡4,049

-10.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.58 ₡6,135

14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$4.58 ₡2,070

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.44 ₡649

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$4.15 ₡1,875

-53.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$3.08 ₡1,391

-18.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$3.22 ₡1,457

-44.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.55 ₡1,153

-21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.03 ₡466

91.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.97 ₡1,340

-71.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$4.93 ₡2,227

37.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$13.99 ₡6,322

-59.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.38 ₡1,076

-41.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.57 ₡1,159

17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.94 ₡425

141.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.88 ₡850

128.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.80 ₡814

-52.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$8.03 ₡3,629

127.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.41 ₡636

41.13%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$38.2K ₡17.2M

-8.23%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$31.9K ₡14.4M

23.83%

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

$146 €126

$82.5 ₡37.3K

77.27%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$25.76 ₡11.6K

-20.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$51.0 ₡23.1K

-23.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$49.88 ₡22.5K

-1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$23.71 ₡10.7K

-20.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$8.92 ₡4,032

6.73%

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

$608 €524

$565 ₡255.2K

7.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$12.8K ₡5.8M

29.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$62.8 ₡28.4K

65.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$51.3 ₡23.2K

-17.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$124 ₡56.1K

-25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$109 ₡49.3K

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$704 ₡317.9K

130.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$608 ₡274.7K

108.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,412 ₡637.8K

115.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$960 ₡433.8K

109.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santa Teresa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $704 in Santa Teresa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $44.00 in Santa Teresa. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 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 48% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,526 including rent). Santa Teresa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,394 in Lisbon and $2,290 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $704 in Santa Teresa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,526 in Santa Teresa – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,526 in Santa Teresa versus $2,263 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 48% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.