Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz de Tenerife: $2,048 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Lisbon, Portugal
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,048
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,048 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife $2,048
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,946 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife $2,946
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,845 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife $3,845
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife costs roughly 7% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Cruz de Tenerife 50% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.33 €18.21
$16.65 €14.92
22.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8 €54.5
$61.7 €55.3
-1.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.00 €9.86
$11.36 €10.18
-3.17%
Cappuccino
$1.99 €1.79
$2.97 €2.66
-33.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.67
$2.29 €2.05
-18.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.74 €1.56
-28.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.81 €2.52
$3.40 €3.05
-17.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 €2.94
$3.31 €2.97
-0.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 €1.24
$1.16 €1.04
18.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 €2.21
$1.91 €1.71
28.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.42
$1.51 €1.36
5.30%
Eggs
$4.13 €3.70
$4.02 €3.60
2.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.32 €17.31
$12.94 €11.59
49.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.01 €8.97
$7.77 €6.97
28.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.56 €15.73
$17.76 €15.92
-1.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 €2.50
$2.30 €2.06
21.30%
Banana (1kg)
$2.32 €2.08
$1.73 €1.55
34.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$1.86 €1.66
16.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.31
$2.59 €2.32
-0.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 €1.90
$1.82 €1.63
16.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.74
$1.97 €1.76
-1.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 €1.51
$1.47 €1.32
14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 €0.88
$0.72 €0.65
37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €5.02
$6.58 €5.90
-14.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.92 €7.09
$5.61 €5.02
41.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 €1.44
$1.36 €1.22
18.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 €1.57
$2.14 €1.91
-18.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.23
$2.33 €2.09
-41.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.15 €39.56
$44.68 €40.04
-1.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.20 €3.77
$3.85 €3.45
9.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.07 €0.96
54.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.09 €15.32
$16.46 €14.75
3.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.63 €1.46
$2.20 €1.97
-25.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K €32.0K
$34.2K €30.6K
4.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0K €27.8K
$38.7K €34.7K
-19.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 €113
$161 €144
-21.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.43 €20.10
$18.41 €16.50
21.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.25 €31.59
$32.74 €29.34
7.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.10
$44.55 €39.92
15.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.64 €10.43
$19.10 €17.11
-39.06%
Cinema Ticket
$9.74 €8.73
$9.60 €8.60
1.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$408 €366
$668 €598
-38.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,972 €4,455
$17.6K €15.8K
-71.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.3 €81.8
$102 €91.4
-10.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.34 €37.05
$44.46 €39.85
-7.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.5 €80.2
$98.5 €88.3
-9.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 €102
$124 €111
-8.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,166 €1,044
$1,608 €1,441
-27.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,000 €896
$1,190 €1,066
-15.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 €1,642
$2,812 €2,520
-34.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,422 €1,274
$2,013 €1,804
-29.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,984 €3,570
$7,839 €7,025
-49.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,266 €2,031
$4,576 €4,100
-50.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,852 €1,659
$1,575 €1,411
17.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.56
3.85
-7.53%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz de Tenerife: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$1,000
Lisbon
$1.2K 19% $190
Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$328
Lisbon
$272 16.9% $55
Eating Out
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$253
Lisbon
$243 4% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$184
Lisbon
$212 15.6% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$151
Lisbon
$166 9.8% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$71
Lisbon
$64 10.1% $7.2
Getting Around
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
$62
Lisbon
$63 1.8% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,166 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs $62 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $272, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
03:32 3:32 AM
03:32 3:32 AM
Same time as Santa Cruz de Tenerife
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
209,395
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife Lisbon 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  • 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
Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,048 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Santa Cruz de Tenerife is about 7% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 18% higher in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,166 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $408 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $2,048 per month in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $2,210 in Lisbon – Santa Cruz de Tenerife is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $2,500 go in Santa Cruz de Tenerife compared to Lisbon?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Santa Cruz de Tenerife gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Lisbon?
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.
Is Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs other spots: cost of living compared

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