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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,428 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,100 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,772 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 68% above, Santiago 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$4.43 PAB 4.43

297.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$29.77 PAB 29.77

111.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$5.11 PAB 5.11

126.61%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.07 PAB 4.07

-23.83%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.73 PAB 0.73

241.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.77 PAB 0.77

125.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$0.98 PAB 0.98

255.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.98 PAB 1.98

73.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-38.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.29 PAB 2.29

-16.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.15 PAB 3.15

-52.38%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.78 PAB 2.78

43.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$12.65 PAB 12.65

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$6.27 PAB 6.27

27.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$10.50 PAB 10.50

71.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.34 PAB 4.34

-45.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.73 PAB 1.73

1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$3.98 PAB 3.98

-53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.93 PAB 3.93

-35.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$3.13 PAB 3.13

-41.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$4.30 PAB 4.30

-51.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.16 PAB 2.16

-31.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.69 PAB 1.69

-51.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$5.93 PAB 5.93

19.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$11.14 PAB 11.14

-46.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.42 PAB 1.42

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.70 PAB 2.70

-21.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.54 PAB 2.54

60.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.83 PAB 1.83

-37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$21.71 PAB 21.71

-21.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.16 PAB 1.16

99.14%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$21.3K PAB 21.3K

60.49%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

96.88%

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

$169 €147

$120 PAB 120

40.80%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$15.24 PAB 15.24

26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$43.28 PAB 43.28

-22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$7.98 PAB 7.98

19.92%

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

$696 €606

$544 PAB 544

27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$9,960 PAB 9,960

74.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$59.7 PAB 59.7

76.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$45.77 PAB 45.77

4.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$94.3 PAB 94.3

6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$116 PAB 116

7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$458 PAB 458

262.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$662 PAB 662

88.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$645 PAB 645

359.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$1,116 PAB 1,116

83.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.39

-40.85%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Santiago: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $458 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $30.00 in Santiago. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $315, 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 ($2,296 vs $1,428 including rent). Santiago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,444 in Lisbon and $2,142 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: $1,662 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 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $1,428 in Santiago – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,428 in Santiago versus $2,296 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.