Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Sal versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,374 in Sal versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,860 in Sal versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Sal costs roughly 62% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sal is 35% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 CVE 564

$17.30 €14.87

-65.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.67 CVE 4,428

$63.3 €54.4

-26.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 CVE 1,083

$11.39 €9.79

0.18%

Cappuccino

$2.43 CVE 231

$3.19 €2.74

-23.82%

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

$2.72 CVE 258

$2.45 €2.10

11.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 CVE 112

$1.76 €1.52

-32.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 CVE 454

$3.59 €3.09

33.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CVE 293

$3.39 €2.92

-9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 CVE 150

$1.24 €1.06

27.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CVE 221

$1.98 €1.71

17.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 CVE 117

$1.52 €1.31

-19.08%

Eggs

$2.91 CVE 276

$4.04 €3.47

-27.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 CVE 911

$13.54 €11.64

-29.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 CVE 742

$8.39 €7.21

-6.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 CVE 1,586

$18.25 €15.69

-8.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CVE 317

$2.29 €1.97

45.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 CVE 235

$1.74 €1.50

42.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 CVE 327

$1.86 €1.60

85.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CVE 383

$2.63 €2.26

53.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 CVE 163

$1.92 €1.65

-10.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 CVE 182

$2.09 €1.80

-8.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 CVE 153

$1.44 €1.24

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CVE 107

$0.84 €0.72

34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 CVE 453

$6.78 €5.83

-29.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 CVE 652

$5.71 €4.91

20.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 CVE 393

$1.38 €1.18

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CVE 186

$2.22 €1.91

-11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 98.1

$2.40 €2.06

-57.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 CVE 198

$4.17 €3.59

-50.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 CVE 303

$1.14 €0.98

179.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 CVE 1,254

$17.68 €15.20

-25.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CVE 130

$2.32 €2.00

-40.95%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

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

$41.4K €35.6K

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

$63.5 CVE 6,024

$170 €146

-62.73%

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

$19.34 €16.62

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 CVE 4,804

$33.64 €28.92

50.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.27 CVE 2,777

$48.10 €41.35

-39.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

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

$120 CVE 11.4K

$717 €617

-83.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.98 CVE 2,939

$105 €90.1

-70.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CVE 13.8K

$124 €107

17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 CVE 25.4K

$1,677 €1,441

-84.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 CVE 16.4K

$1,271 €1,093

-86.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 CVE 30.1K

$2,985 €2,566

-89.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 CVE 19.6K

$1,992 €1,713

-89.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$682 CVE 64.7K

$7,826 €6,728

-91.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$349 CVE 33.1K

$4,658 €4,004

-92.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$267 CVE 25.3K

$1,583 €1,361

-83.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

3.79

38.52%

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

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Sal and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 494% 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: $47.00 in Sal vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $283, 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

Sal vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sal and Lisbon differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $2,316 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 494% 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: $267 in Sal versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $888 per month in Sal versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in Sal versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sal 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, Sal 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 Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.