Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Santorini

For one person, living is cheaper in Santorini: $2,142 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $820 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon, Portugal
Santorini, Greece
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Santorini
🇬🇷 Greece
$2,142
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Santorini

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Santorini actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $2,142 in Santorini.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Santorini $2,142

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $3,097 in Santorini.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Santorini $3,097

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $4,053 in Santorini.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Santorini $4,053

Living in Lisbon is roughly 3% more expensive than in Santorini, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Santorini 57% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$27.03 €24.22
-38.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$85.8 €76.8
-28.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$15.43 €13.82
-26.38%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$4.56 €4.09
-34.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$3.82 €3.43
-40.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.33 €1.19
30.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$5.47 €4.90
-37.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$7.17 €6.42
-53.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.95 €1.75
-40.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.42 €1.27
34.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.25 €2.91
-53.54%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$6.60 €5.92
-39.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$14.33 €12.84
-9.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$7.57 €6.79
2.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$18.63 €16.70
-4.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.74 €2.45
-16.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$2.30 €2.06
-24.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.70 €1.52
9.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$3.42 €3.07
-24.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.56 €2.30
-28.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$3.34 €2.99
-41.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.99 €0.88
48.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.63 €0.57
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.73 €6.03
-2.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$5.48 €4.91
2.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.04 €1.82
-33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.87 €2.57
-25.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.71 €2.43
-14.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$29.29 €26.25
52.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$2.21 €1.98
74.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$2.07 €1.85
-48.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$14.76 €13.23
11.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.14 €1.92
2.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$45.2K €40.5K
-24.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$45.4K €40.7K
-14.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$313 €281
-48.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$44.08 €39.50
-58.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$33.19 €29.74
-1.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$78.2 €70.1
-43.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$25.59 €22.93
-25.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$6.75 €6.05
42.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$592 €531
12.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$67.1 €60.1
52.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$49.35 €44.23
-9.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$77.5 €69.4
27.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$110 €98.3
12.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$1,633 €1,463
-1.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$777 €697
53.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,304 €1,169
115.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,034 €927
94.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$5,057 €4,532
55.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$3,341 €2,994
36.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Santorini
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,212 €1,086
29.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.15
-7.23%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Santorini: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Santorini
$777 34.7% $413
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Santorini
$314 15.3% $42
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Santorini
$380 56.4% $137
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Santorini
$391 83.9% $178
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Santorini
$137 17.7% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Santorini
$92 43.9% $28
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Santorini
$53 16.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,633 in Santorini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 30% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $86 in Santorini for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $314 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇬🇷 Santorini
🕒 Local time
10:04 10:04 AM
12:04 12:04 PM
2 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
1,233
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Santorini 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Santorini

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Santorini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Santorini?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,142 in Santorini, so Santorini is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Santorini?
Average pay runs 30% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Santorini?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,633 in Santorini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Santorini?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $592 in Santorini. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How far does $3,000 go in Lisbon compared to Santorini?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Santorini gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Santorini?
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.
Is Lisbon or Santorini safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Santorini are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Santorini?
It comes down to priorities – Santorini wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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