Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saransk Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Saransk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,069 in Saransk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,693 in Saransk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,316 in Saransk.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 115% more expensive than in Saransk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Saransk is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$14.08 ₽1,185

24.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$53.6 ₽4,512

17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$7.01 ₽590

65.19%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.23 ₽271

-4.02%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.69 ₽143

47.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.71 ₽59.4

145.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.85 ₽156

88.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.76 ₽317

-8.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.12 ₽94.5

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.77 ₽65.1

148.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.41 ₽119

6.38%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.52 ₽128

161.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$11.52 ₽969

15.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$4.68 ₽394

71.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$13.53 ₽1,138

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.60 ₽134

46.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.63 ₽137

7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.78 ₽150

3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$3.37 ₽284

-24.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.65 ₽54.7

183.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.55 ₽45.94

281.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.26 ₽106

18.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.67 ₽56.4

22.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$2.98 ₽251

138.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$8.38 ₽705

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.12 ₽94.0

16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.39 ₽201

-10.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.55 ₽45.93

329.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.13 ₽179

91.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.43 ₽36.18

165.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$7.07 ₽595

141.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.84 ₽70.3

175.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$41.1K ₽3.5M

-17.06%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$31.9K ₽2.7M

29.62%

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

$169 €147

$126 ₽10.6K

33.73%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$5.76 ₽485

235.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$7.59 ₽639

341.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$35.25 ₽2,966

38.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

$25.65 ₽2,158

-24.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$6.78 ₽570

41.15%

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

$696 €606

$303 ₽25.5K

129.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$6,892 ₽579.9K

151.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$67.2 ₽5,652

56.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$54.2 ₽4,558

-11.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$138 ₽11.6K

-27.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$80.8 ₽6,796

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$463 ₽38.9K

259.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$312 ₽26.2K

299.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$824 ₽69.3K

259.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$568 ₽47.8K

260.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$2,362 ₽198.7K

231.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

$1,527 ₽128.5K

192.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$650 ₽54.7K

150.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

20.38

-81.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Saransk: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $463 in Saransk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 151% 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 $54.0 in Saransk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $214 per month, with Saransk 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 Saransk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Saransk differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,069 including rent). Saransk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 151% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $463 in Saransk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% 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 $1,069 in Saransk – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,069 in Saransk versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saransk but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saransk 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 Saransk 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 Saransk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.