Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sfax Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sfax

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $607 in Sfax.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $984 in Sfax.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,360 in Sfax.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 277% more expensive than in Sfax, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Sfax is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$3.37 TND 9.85

380.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$20.38 TND 59.6

210.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$3.30 TND 9.67

212.73%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$0.78 TND 2.27

262.82%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.64 TND 1.89

257.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.25 TND 0.73

532.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.56 TND 4.55

117.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$1.92 TND 5.61

109.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.53 TND 1.56

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.16 TND 0.46

993.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.50 TND 4.38

17.33%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.58 TND 4.63

100.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$11.15 TND 32.62

18.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$5.76 TND 16.84

38.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$13.29 TND 38.88

16.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.23 TND 6.53

6.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.95 TND 8.64

-42.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.05 TND 3.08

91.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.69 TND 2.03

252.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.80 TND 2.35

120.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.77 TND 2.25

163.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.51 TND 1.50

276.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.31 TND 0.90

174.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.60 TND 10.55

82.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.65 TND 19.46

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.10 TND 3.22

20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.05 TND 3.08

182.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.21 TND 0.61

985.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$10.10 TND 29.56

353.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.32 TND 0.95

1221.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.33 TND 0.97

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$7.59 TND 22.22

142.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.82 TND 2.40

153.66%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$36.3K TND 106.2K

-4.46%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$35.0K TND 102.5K

11.73%

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

$148 €130

$45.93 TND 134

222.34%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$9.42 TND 27.57

117.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$14.56 TND 42.61

171.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$27.04 TND 79.1

77.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$7.49 TND 21.92

148.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$4.67 TND 13.68

97.43%

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

$616 €540

$110 TND 322

459.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,482 TND 7,262

562.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$44.06 TND 129

133.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$44.10 TND 129

-5.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$101 TND 297

-6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$65.1 TND 190

87.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$187 TND 546

774.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$134 TND 391

823.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$336 TND 984

821.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$249 TND 729

715.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,017 TND 2,977

669.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$647 TND 1,893

578.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$327 TND 957

391.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

13.6

-71.99%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sfax: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $187 in Sfax. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 391% 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 $20.00 in Sfax for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $188 per month, with Sfax 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 Sfax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sfax differ by about 277% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $607 including rent). Sfax is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 391% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $187 in Sfax. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $110 in Sfax. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $607 in Sfax versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfax but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sfax 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 Sfax 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 Sfax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 277% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.