Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saipan and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Saipan: $1,771 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Saipan

🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands

$1,771

/mo nomad

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saipan and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saipan and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Saipan versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

Saipan $1,771
Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,592 in Saipan versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

Saipan $2,592
Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,412 in Saipan versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

Saipan $3,412
Lisbon $4,346

Living in Saipan costs roughly 20% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saipan 31% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 $14.97

$17.04 €15.15

-12.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.86 $42.86

$62.3 €55.4

-31.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.78 $14.78

$11.02 €9.80

34.12%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.12 €2.78

75.64%

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

$2.01 $2.01

$2.27 €2.02

-11.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.74 €1.55

-21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.42 €3.04

76.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 $7.40

$3.74 €3.33

97.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.17 €1.04

120.51%

White Bread (500g)

$5.68 $5.68

$1.86 €1.66

205.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$45.44 $45.44

$1.54 €1.37

2850.65%

Eggs

$5.91 $5.91

$4.06 €3.61

45.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 €11.49

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$7.90 €7.03

68.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$17.64 €15.69

-62.76%

Apples (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$2.26 €2.01

189.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.55

Oranges (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.89 €1.68

238.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.85 €1.64

13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.97 €1.75

12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.45 €1.29

237.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 €5.97

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$5.67 €5.04

162.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.88

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.43 €39.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.95 €3.51

23.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 €15.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.19 €1.95

-34.25%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$33.8K €30.0K

8.85%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$38.3K €34.0K

-41.76%

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

$380 $380

$164 €146

132.13%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$18.48 €16.43

230.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.4 $90.4

$32.96 €29.32

174.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 $60.9

$45.87 €40.80

32.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.61

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 €8.67

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

$684 €608

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €92.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.20 €41.09

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 €88.7

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.41 $39.41

$125 €111

-68.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 $789

$1,589 €1,414

-50.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 $375

$1,169 €1,040

-67.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$778 $778

$2,851 €2,536

-72.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 $812

$1,993 €1,773

-59.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,793 €6,932

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,418 €3,930

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,019 $1,019

$1,600 €1,423

-36.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

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

Last update for Saipan: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.1%

Groceries & Markets

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$273 12.4%

Eating Out

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$247 11.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$215 9.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$168 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$65 3%

Getting Around

Saipan

–

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Saipan and $1,589 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: $43.00 in Saipan vs $62.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $493 vs $273, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇵 Saipan

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🕒 Local time

20:48 8:48 PM

11:48 11:48 AM

9 h behind Saipan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

48,220 Capital

545,923 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Saipan Lisbon 13,480 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Saipan
Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 ($1,771 vs $2,202 including rent). Saipan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Lisbon. 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: $789 in Saipan versus $1,589 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 $43.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,771 per month in Saipan versus $2,202 in Lisbon – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,771 in Saipan versus $2,202 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.