đMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $522 in SÄŤrjÄn.
đEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $825 in SÄŤrjÄn.
đMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,127 in SÄŤrjÄn.
đLiving in Lisbon is roughly 323% more expensive than SÄŤrjÄn, driven mainly by Eating Out.
đThe two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, SÄŤrjÄn is 61% below.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.91âŹ13.69
$3.96$3.96
301.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8âŹ55.7
$17.15$17.15
277.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51âŹ9.04
$4.52$4.52
132.52%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.64$0.64
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.05$1.05
-
Cappuccino
$2.87âŹ2.47
$1.15$1.15
149.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24âŹ1.93
$0.46$0.46
386.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50âŹ1.29
$0.92$0.92
63.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.49âŹ3.00
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88âŹ3.34
-
-
đ Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14âŹ0.98
$0.59$0.59
93.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75âŹ1.51
$0.53$0.53
230.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76âŹ1.51
$1.92$1.92
-8.33%
Eggs
$3.22âŹ2.77
$1.19$1.19
170.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.49âŹ11.61
$3.43$3.43
293.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.91âŹ6.81
$3.21$3.21
146.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.87âŹ13.65
$10.09$10.09
57.28%
Apples(1kg)
$2.31âŹ1.99
$0.86$0.86
168.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70âŹ1.46
$1.41$1.41
20.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01âŹ1.73
$0.84$0.84
139.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.46âŹ2.12
$0.58$0.58
324.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84âŹ1.59
$0.52$0.52
253.85%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00âŹ1.72
$0.45$0.45
344.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.93âŹ1.66
$0.60$0.60
221.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79âŹ0.68
$0.25$0.25
216.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$0.53$0.53
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.46$0.46
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.37$1.37
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61âŹ5.68
$2.22$2.22
197.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.72âŹ4.92
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37âŹ1.17
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97âŹ2.56
-
-
đ Getting Around
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.37âŹ2.04
$0.21$0.21
1028.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.56âŹ39.19
$10.16$10.16
348.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.29âŹ3.69
$0.37$0.37
1059.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82âŹ0.70
$0.27$0.27
203.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.30âŹ15.74
$2.02$2.02
805.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.06âŹ1.78
$0.78$0.78
164.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3KâŹ29.5K
$71.4K$71.4K
-51.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3KâŹ33.8K
$55.7K$55.7K
-29.47%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148âŹ127
$15.64$15.64
845.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.52âŹ17.65
$2.11$2.11
872.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.61âŹ34.08
$5.69$5.69
596.13%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.85âŹ41.16
$16.25$16.25
194.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.92âŹ16.28
$12.60$12.60
50.16%
Cinema Ticket
$9.18âŹ7.90
$1.54$1.54
496.10%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$614âŹ528
$114$114
437.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.0KâŹ13.8K
$1,958$1,958
719.66%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105âŹ90.0
$22.09$22.09
373.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06âŹ36.18
$25.06$25.06
67.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.0âŹ80.8
$109$109
-13.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120âŹ103
$68.9$68.9
73.77%
đ Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,628âŹ1,400
$290$290
461.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,255âŹ1,080
$200$200
529.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,030âŹ2,607
$629$629
382.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,020âŹ1,738
$325$325
520.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,800âŹ6,709
$1,135$1,135
587.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,273âŹ3,675
$626$626
582.45%
đľ Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,603âŹ1,379
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.81
22.24
-82.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026
Last update for SÄŤrjÄn: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $290 in SÄŤrjÄn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
đDining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $17.00 in SÄŤrjÄn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $107 per month, with SÄŤrjÄn 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 SÄŤrjÄn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and SÄŤrjÄn?
Lisbon and SÄŤrjÄn differ by about 323% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $522 including rent). SÄŤrjÄn is meaningfully more affordable â a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lisbon compared to SÄŤrjÄn?
You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $783 in SÄŤrjÄn to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and SÄŤrjÄn?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $290 in SÄŤrjÄn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and SÄŤrjÄn?
Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $114 in SÄŤrjÄn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 152% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $522 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in SÄŤrjÄn but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes SÄŤrjÄn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and SÄŤrjÄn?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better â the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or SÄŤrjÄn safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and SÄŤrjÄn are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or SÄŤrjÄn?
Expats usually find SÄŤrjÄn gentler on the wallet â expenses run 323% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.