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: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $885 in Saransk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $1,413 in Saransk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $1,941 in Saransk.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 158% more expensive than in Saransk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Saransk is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$11.61 ₽924

35.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$37.52 ₽2,986

69.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$5.69 ₽453

83.66%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.60 ₽207

11.92%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.25 ₽99.7

83.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.45 ₽35.87

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$0.99 ₽79.1

259.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$3.25 ₽259

21.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.05 ₽83.3

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.57 ₽45.65

208.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.35 ₽107

25.93%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.49 ₽119

118.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$10.47 ₽834

26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.95 ₽394

55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$8.85 ₽704

78.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.30 ₽104

75.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.75 ₽139

-5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.97 ₽77.5

108.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.47 ₽196

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.70 ₽55.5

155.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.70 ₽56.0

195.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.21 ₽96.0

62.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.55 ₽43.98

50.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$2.47 ₽197

165.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$7.64 ₽608

-27.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.04 ₽82.8

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.54 ₽122

95.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.49 ₽38.87

363.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$24.92 ₽1,984

86.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$1.88 ₽149

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.56 ₽44.27

51.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$7.63 ₽607

146.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$0.73 ₽58.0

176.71%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$24.2K ₽1.9M

44.46%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$27.3K ₽2.2M

45.19%

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

$148 €128

$114 ₽9,044

30.17%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$3.11 ₽248

559.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$7.22 ₽575

447.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$35.18 ₽2,800

36.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$3.71 ₽295

395.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$6.25 ₽498

45.60%

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

$615 €532

$335 ₽26.7K

83.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$3,929 ₽312.7K

314.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$45.13 ₽3,592

125.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$31.37 ₽2,496

34.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$64.5 ₽5,137

43.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$37.97 ₽3,022

221.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$507 ₽40.3K

218.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$257 ₽20.5K

387.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$762 ₽60.7K

302.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$504 ₽40.1K

304.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$1,563 ₽124.4K

395.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,008 ₽80.3K

325.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$447 ₽35.6K

258.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.33

-76.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saransk: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $507 in Saransk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 258% 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 $38.00 in Saransk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $182 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 158% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $885 including rent). Saransk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 258% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $507 in Saransk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $335 in Saransk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $885 in Saransk versus $2,280 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 158% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.