Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Croix and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Croix and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Saint Croix versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,716 in Saint Croix versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,587 in Saint Croix versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Saint Croix costs roughly 63% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint Croix is 39% below, Lisbon is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.60 $39.60

$17.55 €15.12

125.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 $147

$64.5 €55.6

128.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 $9.93

$11.65 €10.04

-14.76%

Cappuccino

$7.57 $7.57

$3.26 €2.81

132.21%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$2.49 €2.15

28.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.67 €1.44

77.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.47 €2.99

68.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.58 €3.08

129.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.18 €1.02

109.32%

White Bread (500g)

$7.06 $7.06

$1.95 €1.68

262.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$1.56 €1.35

604.49%

Eggs

$8.43 $8.43

$4.01 €3.46

110.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.83 $21.83

$13.27 €11.44

64.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$2.32 €2.00

370.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.10 $6.10

$1.44 €1.24

323.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.25 €1.94

-56.44%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

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

$19.01 €16.38

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,661 €1,432

48.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Saint Croix: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,464 in Saint Croix and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $147 in Saint Croix vs $64.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $281 per month, with Lisbon 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

Saint Croix vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Croix and Lisbon differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($844 vs $2,268 including rent). Saint Croix is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,266 in Saint Croix and $3,402 in Lisbon 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,464 in Saint Croix versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint Croix – a meal for two runs $147 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Saint Croix versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Saint Croix is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Saint Croix and Lisbon 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 Saint Croix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.