Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Denis and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Denis and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,705 in Saint-Denis versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,594 in Saint-Denis versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,483 in Saint-Denis versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Saint-Denis costs roughly 23% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint-Denis 27% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 €15.75

$16.17 €13.81

14.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 €48.78

$64.6 €55.1

-11.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.61 €17.60

$10.38 €8.86

98.55%

Cappuccino

$4.12 €3.52

$2.77 €2.37

48.74%

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

$3.57 €3.05

$2.25 €1.92

58.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 €2.45

$1.57 €1.34

82.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.91

$3.49 €2.98

31.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 €4.02

$4.00 €3.42

17.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.08 €0.93

18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 €2.09

$1.74 €1.48

40.23%

Eggs

$4.35 €3.72

$3.18 €2.71

36.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.57 €17.57

$13.43 €11.47

53.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 €11.92

$7.99 €6.83

74.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.18 €19.79

$16.09 €13.74

44.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 €2.45

$2.04 €1.74

40.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.98 €1.69

-15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.85 €0.73

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.58 €10.74

$6.85 €5.85

83.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 €7.12

$5.78 €4.93

44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.14

$1.37 €1.17

83.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.94

$2.90 €2.48

18.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 €37.80

$46.84 €40.00

-5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

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

$33.0K €28.2K

$35.3K €30.1K

-6.32%

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

$33.3K €28.5K

$38.5K €32.9K

-13.38%

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

$139 €119

$145 €124

-4.10%

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

$11.67 €9.97

$20.96 €17.90

-44.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 €47.46

$40.05 €34.21

38.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 €29.92

$48.79 €41.66

-28.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.91 €11.88

$18.69 €15.97

-25.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 €9.71

$9.06 €7.74

25.50%

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

$607 €518

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 €100

$105 €89.4

11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 €116

$93.6 €79.9

45.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €100

$119 €101

-1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 €696

$1,604 €1,370

-49.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 €487

$1,236 €1,055

-53.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 €1,364

$3,046 €2,601

-47.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 €891

$2,057 €1,756

-49.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,204 €1,882

$1,584 €1,353

39.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Saint-Denis: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $814 in Saint-Denis and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint-Denis pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Saint-Denis vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $304 vs $271, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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-Denis vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Denis and Lisbon differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,705 vs $2,227 including rent). Saint-Denis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint-Denis pays 39% 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: $814 in Saint-Denis versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,705 per month in Saint-Denis versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,705 in Saint-Denis versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Saint-Denis but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Denis 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, Saint-Denis 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-Denis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.