Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santo Domingo Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santo Domingo Este

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $648 in Santo Domingo Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,061 in Santo Domingo Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,474 in Santo Domingo Este.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 254% more expensive than in Santo Domingo Este, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Santo Domingo Este is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.24

$5.10 DOP 300

244.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.5

$42.40 DOP 2,495

48.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.04

$6.87 DOP 404

68.56%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$0.99 DOP 58.5

213.13%

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

$2.49 €2.16

$1.08 DOP 63.6

130.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$0.64 DOP 37.50

171.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.02

$2.59 DOP 152

34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$3.58 DOP 211

-3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.39 DOP 81.7

-17.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.52 DOP 89.4

25.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.65 DOP 97.0

-9.09%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$2.45 DOP 144

62.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.52

$7.48 DOP 440

77.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$5.77 DOP 340

38.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.64

$7.01 DOP 413

157.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$3.18 DOP 187

-26.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.81 DOP 47.51

116.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.80 DOP 165

-33.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$1.82 DOP 107

40.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.08 DOP 122

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.22 DOP 131

-5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.07 DOP 63.0

39.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.97 DOP 57.2

-15.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$5.30 DOP 312

33.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$10.61 DOP 624

-44.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$2.67 DOP 157

-50.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$3.09 DOP 182

-31.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$3.45 DOP 203

18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.33 DOP 137

-51.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.81

$5.90 DOP 347

189.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.29 DOP 75.8

79.07%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$23.3K DOP 1.4M

46.47%

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

$41.4K €35.9K

$34.1K DOP 2.0M

21.23%

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

$169 €146

$93.1 DOP 5,480

80.98%

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

$19.33 €16.75

$32.16 DOP 1,893

-39.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.04

$36.97 DOP 2,176

-9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.29

$7.82 DOP 460

22.38%

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

$696 €603

$262 DOP 15.4K

165.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$7,462 DOP 439.0K

132.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.3

$47.06 DOP 2,769

123.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.38

$48.60 DOP 2,860

-1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.1

$90.0 DOP 5,297

11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$126 DOP 7,422

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,414

$595 DOP 35.0K

174.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

13.56

-72.12%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 174% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $42.00 in Santo Domingo Este for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $226 per month, with Santo Domingo Este cheaper across the board.

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 Santo Domingo Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Santo Domingo Este differ by about 254% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $648 including rent). Santo Domingo Este is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 174% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $648 in Santo Domingo Este – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $648 in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este 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 Santo Domingo Este 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 Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.