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: $997 in Sal versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Sal versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,038 in Sal versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Sal costs roughly 57% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sal is 25% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 CVE 552

$16.19 €14.15

-64.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 CVE 4,500

$63.3 €55.3

-26.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 CVE 712

$10.32 €9.02

-28.49%

Cappuccino

$2.37 CVE 229

$2.83 €2.47

-16.25%

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

$2.43 CVE 234

$2.29 €2.00

6.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CVE 113

$1.58 €1.38

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 CVE 384

$3.40 €2.97

17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CVE 311

$4.03 €3.52

-20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 CVE 142

$1.09 €0.95

34.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CVE 210

$1.75 €1.53

24.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CVE 149

$1.76 €1.54

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.73 CVE 264

$3.17 €2.77

-13.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 CVE 1,068

$13.19 €11.53

-16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 CVE 803

$7.97 €6.96

4.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 CVE 1,579

$15.53 €13.57

5.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 CVE 272

$2.37 €2.07

18.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 CVE 246

$1.71 €1.49

49.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CVE 286

$2.01 €1.75

47.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CVE 390

$2.43 €2.12

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 CVE 156

$1.76 €1.54

-7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CVE 192

$2.03 €1.78

-1.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 CVE 180

$1.92 €1.68

-3.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CVE 107

$0.85 €0.74

30.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 CVE 457

$6.58 €5.75

-27.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 CVE 641

$5.58 €4.87

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CVE 296

$1.33 €1.16

130.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CVE 189

$2.97 €2.60

-34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 CVE 100

$2.28 €1.99

-54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 CVE 205

$4.23 €3.69

-49.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 CVE 267

$0.81 €0.71

241.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.00 CVE 1,254

$18.44 €16.11

-29.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 CVE 143

$2.08 €1.82

-28.85%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.2K

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

$91.3 CVE 8,808

$148 €129

-38.31%

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

$20.46 €17.88

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CVE 5,402

$39.56 €34.56

41.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.94 CVE 3,370

$47.99 €41.93

-27.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

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

$146 CVE 14.0K

$616 €538

-76.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,548 CVE 245.8K

$16.4K €14.4K

-84.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.14 CVE 3,003

$103 €89.7

-69.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CVE 14.0K

$122 €107

18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 CVE 32.2K

$1,633 €1,426

-79.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 CVE 28.4K

$1,232 €1,077

-76.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 CVE 42.5K

$3,098 €2,707

-85.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 CVE 37.4K

$2,031 €1,775

-80.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$672 CVE 64.8K

$7,831 €6,842

-91.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$343 CVE 33.1K

$4,389 €3,835

-92.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 CVE 24.8K

$1,607 €1,404

-84.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

3.81

61.94%

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

Last update for Sal: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Sal and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 525% 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 $301 vs $267, 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 130% in total monthly costs ($997 vs $2,291 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 525% 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: $333 in Sal versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Sal versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Sal versus $2,291 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 130% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.