Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $1,004 in Somerset West.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,632 in Somerset West.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $2,261 in Somerset West.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 125% more expensive than Somerset West, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Somerset West is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$8.36 R 135

90.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$38.49 R 622

64.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.75 R 76.9

118.53%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.07 R 33.52

34.78%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.82 R 13.31

185.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.83 R 13.42

89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.59 R 41.90

32.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.56 R 41.45

52.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.96 R 15.45

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.89 R 14.44

98.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.84 R 29.74

-7.07%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.11 R 34.06

49.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$7.42 R 120

84.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.77 R 77.2

67.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.39 R 119

110.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.55 R 25.13

47.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.48 R 23.97

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.44 R 23.30

34.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.54 R 24.95

62.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.08 R 17.43

65.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.24 R 20.05

62.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.04 R 16.82

89.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.96 R 15.49

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$3.00 R 48.49

126.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.94 R 96.0

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.36 R 21.91

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.66 R 26.91

81.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.62 R 26.16

40.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.42 R 22.91

202.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.95 R 15.39

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$4.55 R 73.5

301.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.24 R 19.98

60.48%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$19.6K R 316.1K

79.16%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$22.6K R 366.0K

74.67%

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

$146 €126

$69.1 R 1,118

111.43%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$29.74 R 481

-31.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$41.71 R 674

-6.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$38.99 R 630

25.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$6.74 R 109

41.25%

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

$608 €524

$210 R 3,392

189.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$3,406 R 55.1K

384.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$31.15 R 504

233.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$26.76 R 433

57.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$64.1 R 1,037

43.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$63.5 R 1,027

88.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$628 R 10.1K

158.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$398 R 6,437

218.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,226 R 19.8K

148.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$866 R 14.0K

132.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,230 R 19.9K

523.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$900 R 14.5K

381.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,440 R 23.3K

10.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.5

-63.71%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $628 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 10% 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 Somerset West for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $176 per month, with Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Somerset West differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $1,004 including rent). Somerset West is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 10% 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 $628 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $1,004 in Somerset West – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,004 in Somerset West versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Somerset West but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset West 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 Somerset West 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 Somerset West gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.