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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,416 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $2,071 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $2,727 in Santiago.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Santiago 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$4.43 PAB 4.43

255.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$30.51 PAB 30.51

108.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$4.88 PAB 4.88

114.14%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.67 PAB 3.67

-20.71%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.69 PAB 0.69

231.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.82 PAB 0.82

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$0.99 PAB 0.99

259.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.05 PAB 2.05

93.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.88 PAB 1.88

-42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.47 PAB 2.47

-28.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.51 PAB 2.51

-32.27%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$2.91 PAB 2.91

11.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$11.60 PAB 11.60

14.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$7.05 PAB 7.05

9.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$9.99 PAB 9.99

57.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$3.37 PAB 3.37

-32.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.53 PAB 1.53

8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.75 PAB 2.75

-26.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$3.21 PAB 3.21

-23.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$2.31 PAB 2.31

-22.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.81 PAB 2.81

-26.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.20 PAB 2.20

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.59 PAB 1.59

-47.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.93 PAB 5.93

10.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$10.67 PAB 10.67

-47.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.24 PAB 1.24

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.45 PAB 2.45

22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$2.49 PAB 2.49

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.76 PAB 1.76

-51.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$21.77 PAB 21.77

-13.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.94 PAB 0.94

114.89%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$19.7K PAB 19.7K

77.15%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

90.54%

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

$148 €128

$122 PAB 122

21.51%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$14.70 PAB 14.70

39.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$42.42 PAB 42.42

-6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$7.88 PAB 7.88

15.48%

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

$615 €532

$481 PAB 481

27.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$15.6K PAB 15.6K

4.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$50.7 PAB 50.7

100.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$46.54 PAB 46.54

-9.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$90.3 PAB 90.3

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$121 PAB 121

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$444 PAB 444

263.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$639 PAB 639

96.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$658 PAB 658

366.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$1,105 PAB 1,105

84.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santiago: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $444 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $31.00 in Santiago. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $291, 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 61% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,416 including rent). Santiago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,420 in Lisbon and $2,124 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $444 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,280 per month in Lisbon versus $1,416 in Santiago – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,416 in Santiago versus $2,280 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 61% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.