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: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $563 in Sari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $819 in Sari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,075 in Sari.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 302% more expensive than Sari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Sari is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$3.94 $3.94

304.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$10.98 $10.98

477.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$5.05 $5.05

105.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$0.77 $0.77

262.34%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.42 $0.42

457.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.55 $0.55

185.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.64 $0.64

68.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.58 $0.58

205.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.93 $1.93

-11.40%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.15 $1.15

173.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$3.54 $3.54

286.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$3.11 $3.11

157.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.76 $7.76

100.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$0.39 $0.39

487.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$0.89 $0.89

84.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$0.89 $0.89

117.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$0.67 $0.67

274.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.52 $0.52

244.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.49 $0.49

310.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.62 $0.62

217.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.16 $0.16

425.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 $0.57

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 $0.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$1.96 $1.96

246.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.13 $0.13

1646.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$9.94 $9.94

357.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.48 $0.48

793.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.27 $0.27

214.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$2.40 $2.40

661.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.72 $0.72

176.39%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$80.8K $80.8K

-56.65%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$54.7K $54.7K

-27.71%

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

$146 €126

$15.63 $15.63

835.25%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$2.18 $2.18

838.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$5.73 $5.73

580.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$32.87 $32.87

49.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$11.05 $11.05

70.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$1.01 $1.01

842.57%

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

$608 €524

$50.3 $50.3

1108.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$789 $789

1993.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$31.62 $31.62

228.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$34.22 $34.22

23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$122 $122

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$68.9 $68.9

74.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$553 $553

192.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$223 $223

467.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$622 $622

390.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$301 $301

567.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,062 $1,062

621.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$465 $465

831.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$378 $378

319.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

25.07

-84.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sari: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $553 in Sari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 319% 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 $269 vs $95.0 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 302% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $563 including rent). Sari is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 319% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $553 in Sari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $50.3 in Sari. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 183% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $563 in Sari versus $2,263 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 302% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.