Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sari Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sari

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $537 in Sari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $828 in Sari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,118 in Sari.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 328% more expensive than in Sari, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Sari is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$3.42 $3.42

414.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$10.99 $10.99

471.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$3.97 $3.97

191.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$0.79 $0.79

292.41%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.50 $0.50

398.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.53 $0.53

228.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.52 $0.52

121.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.54 $0.54

253.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.34 $3.34

-55.09%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.28 $1.28

210.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$4.23 $4.23

214.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$3.32 $3.32

141.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$9.14 $9.14

97.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.34 $1.34

75.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.84 $1.84

-4.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.13 $1.13

63.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$0.73 $0.73

249.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.56 $0.56

228.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.48 $0.48

337.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.58 $0.58

156.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.31 $0.31

164.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.48 $2.48

186.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.15 $0.15

1473.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$7.67 $7.67

507.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.52 $0.52

684.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.29 $0.29

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$3.02 $3.02

465.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$0.10 $0.10

2210.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$50.2K $50.2K

-31.99%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$43.9K $43.9K

-5.70%

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

$169 €147

$13.24 $13.24

1173.04%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$1.59 $1.59

1115.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$3.59 $3.59

833.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$17.80 $17.80

174.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$13.45 $13.45

44.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$1.02 $1.02

838.24%

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

$696 €607

$50.0 $50.0

1290.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$807 $807

2050.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$25.93 $25.93

306.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$37.18 $37.18

28.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$106 $106

-5.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$76.1 $76.1

63.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$288 $288

477.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$202 $202

515.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$657 $657

351.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$344 $344

496.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$1,152 $1,152

579.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$578 $578

671.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$252 $252

546.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

23.42

-83.86%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sari: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $288 in Sari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 547% 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 $11.00 in Sari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $120 per month, with Sari 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 Sari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sari differ by about 328% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $537 including rent). Sari is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 547% 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 $288 in Sari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $50.0 in Sari. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 130% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $537 in Sari versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sari but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sari 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 Sari 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 Sari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 328% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.