Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Caetano do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Caetano do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $904 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,629 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,354 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 144% more expensive than Sao Caetano do Sul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Sao Caetano do Sul is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$7.22 R$36.55

120.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$32.10 R$162

101.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$6.71 R$33.93

56.63%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.82 R$9.19

57.69%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.20 R$6.09

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.76 R$3.86

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.78 R$9.02

96.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.81 R$14.20

38.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.06 R$5.36

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.78 R$9.02

-1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.35 R$6.83

30.37%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.40 R$12.13

34.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$9.87 R$49.95

36.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.23 R$21.40

87.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$8.65 R$43.78

83.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.14 R$10.85

7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.66 R$8.38

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.46 R$7.41

37.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.70 R$8.60

44.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.48 R$7.49

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.24 R$6.26

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.94 R$4.76

105.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.69 R$3.47

14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$2.31 R$11.68

186.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.20 R$41.47

-30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.31 R$6.64

4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.41 R$12.17

23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.87 R$4.38

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$37.82 R$191

20.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.16 R$5.87

269.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.63 R$3.19

30.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$7.76 R$39.29

135.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.10 R$5.55

87.27%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$21.6K R$109.1K

59.03%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$28.4K R$143.5K

38.49%

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

$148 €127

$54.0 R$273

173.68%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$13.29 R$67.2

54.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$22.07 R$112

79.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$48.06 R$243

-0.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$47.38 R$240

-60.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$7.32 R$37.04

25.41%

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

$614 €529

$322 R$1,627

90.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,894 R$45.0K

80.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$52.6 R$266

99.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$43.20 R$219

-2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$79.7 R$403

17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$77.4 R$392

54.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$331 R$1,672

392.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$280 R$1,414

349.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$629 R$3,182

381.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$907 R$4,587

122.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$1,601 R$8,101

387.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$1,170 R$5,917

265.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$949 R$4,803

68.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.17

-65.89%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sao Caetano do Sul: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $331 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 69% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $202 per month, with Sao Caetano do Sul 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 Sao Caetano do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sao Caetano do Sul differ by about 144% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $904 including rent). Sao Caetano do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 69% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $331 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $322 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $904 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Caetano do Sul but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Caetano do Sul 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 Sao Caetano do Sul 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 Sao Caetano do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.