Cost of Living Comparison Between Saipan and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Saipan and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,788 in Saipan versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,587 in Saipan versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,386 in Saipan versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Saipan costs roughly 19% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saipan 33% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.31 $11.31

$15.91 €13.69

-28.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 $39.31

$64.8 €55.7

-39.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$10.51 €9.04

13.32%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$2.87 €2.47

82.93%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$2.24 €1.93

-24.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.50 €1.29

-12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.49 €3.00

67.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.88 €3.34

56.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.14 €0.98

94.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.75 €1.51

88.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$45.62 $45.62

$1.76 €1.51

2492.05%

Eggs

$6.40 $6.40

$3.22 €2.77

98.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$7.91 €6.81

68.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

Apples (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$2.31 €1.99

179.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.70 €1.46

31.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.01 €1.73

235.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.84 €1.59

10.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.00 €1.72

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.93 €1.66

153.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$5.72 €4.92

161.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 $6.53

$4.29 €3.69

52.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.82 €0.70

132.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.06 €1.78

-31.55%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$34.3K €29.5K

5.99%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$39.3K €33.8K

-40.48%

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

$338 $338

$148 €127

128.90%

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

$66.3 $66.3

$20.52 €17.65

222.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$39.61 €34.08

49.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.09 $48.09

$47.85 €41.16

0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 $8.19

$9.18 €7.90

-10.78%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,935 $5,935

$16.0K €13.8K

-63.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.68 $29.68

$105 €90.0

-71.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 $39.88

$42.06 €36.18

-5.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$94.0 €80.8

-24.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 $54.3

$120 €103

-54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 $629

$1,628 €1,400

-61.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 $458

$1,255 €1,080

-63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 $1,049

$3,030 €2,607

-65.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 $864

$2,020 €1,738

-57.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,020 $1,020

$1,603 €1,379

-36.37%

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 Saipan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $629 in Saipan and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 57% 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: $39.00 in Saipan vs $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $463 vs $269, 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

Saipan vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saipan and Lisbon differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,788 vs $2,210 including rent). Saipan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 57% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $629 in Saipan versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saipan – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,788 per month in Saipan versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,788 in Saipan versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Saipan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Saipan 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, Saipan 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 Saipan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.