Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santiago Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santiago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $1,393 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $2,061 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $2,730 in Santiago.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 59% more expensive than in Santiago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Santiago 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$4.62 PAB 4.62

241.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$29.56 PAB 29.56

111.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$4.89 PAB 4.89

115.54%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$3.52 PAB 3.52

-21.31%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$0.68 PAB 0.68

235.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.82 PAB 0.82

89.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$0.97 PAB 0.97

265.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.97 PAB 1.97

102.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.82 PAB 1.82

-40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.50 PAB 2.50

-29.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-26.56%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$2.93 PAB 2.93

6.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$11.61 PAB 11.61

14.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$7.26 PAB 7.26

10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$9.87 PAB 9.87

61.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.26 PAB 3.26

-30.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.49 PAB 1.49

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.73 PAB 2.73

-27.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$3.21 PAB 3.21

-23.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.20 PAB 2.20

-19.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.90 PAB 2.90

-32.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.17 PAB 2.17

-9.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.53 PAB 1.53

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$5.91 PAB 5.91

10.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$11.13 PAB 11.13

-48.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.23 PAB 1.23

7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$2.37 PAB 2.37

26.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$2.53 PAB 2.53

68.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$1.79 PAB 1.79

-53.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$21.82 PAB 21.82

-13.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$0.89 PAB 0.89

132.58%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$19.4K PAB 19.4K

81.32%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$20.2K PAB 20.2K

91.24%

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

$151 €132

$121 PAB 121

24.74%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$14.71 PAB 14.71

42.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$42.62 PAB 42.62

-7.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$8.16 PAB 8.16

10.78%

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

$610 €532

$474 PAB 474

28.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$15.8K PAB 15.8K

2.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$51.7 PAB 51.7

95.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$46.06 PAB 46.06

-11.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$88.0 PAB 88.0

5.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$120 PAB 120

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$458 PAB 458

249.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$658 PAB 658

88.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$641 PAB 641

370.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$1,078 PAB 1,078

91.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.23

-38.84%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Santiago: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $458 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $30.00 in Santiago. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $290, 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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santiago differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $1,393 including rent). Santiago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $2,089 in Santiago 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $458 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Lisbon versus $1,393 in Santiago – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,393 in Santiago versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santiago but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago 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 Santiago 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 Santiago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.