Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz do Sul and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz do Sul and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,846 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Santa Cruz do Sul costs roughly 62% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Cruz do Sul is 36% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 R$22.46

$15.94 €13.73

-72.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 R$135

$63.4 €54.6

-57.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 R$22.63

$10.38 €8.95

-56.94%

Cappuccino

$1.59 R$8.06

$2.79 €2.40

-43.01%

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

$1.13 R$5.72

$2.34 €2.01

-51.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.17

$1.57 €1.35

-47.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R$11.16

$3.43 €2.95

-35.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R$13.78

$3.91 €3.37

-30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 R$4.57

$1.08 €0.93

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 R$7.34

$1.77 €1.52

-18.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.56

$1.71 €1.47

-35.67%

Eggs

$2.14 R$10.85

$3.15 €2.71

-32.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.05 R$55.9

$13.68 €11.79

-19.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R$23.58

$8.01 €6.90

-41.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 R$48.51

$15.52 €13.37

-38.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$10.14

$2.29 €1.98

-12.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.71

$1.64 €1.41

-18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.67

$1.94 €1.67

-31.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.70

$2.51 €2.17

-39.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.76

$1.79 €1.54

-36.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.38

$2.01 €1.73

-47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 R$3.66

$1.97 €1.69

-63.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.13

$0.84 €0.73

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 R$10.05

$6.79 €5.85

-70.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 R$39.12

$5.67 €4.89

36.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.96

$1.39 €1.20

-29.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 R$9.38

$3.02 €2.60

-38.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.33

$2.27 €1.95

-62.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.31 R$194

$45.44 €39.15

-15.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 R$8.37

$4.29 €3.70

-61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 R$5.06

$0.85 €0.73

17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 R$26.73

$18.28 €15.75

-71.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.99 €1.71

-44.72%

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

$24.4K R$123.4K

$35.0K €30.2K

-30.45%

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

$27.9K R$141.5K

$39.5K €34.1K

-29.34%

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

$59.9 R$303

$146 €126

-59.06%

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

$14.75 R$74.7

$20.45 €17.62

-27.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.19 R$102

$38.98 €33.58

-48.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.23 R$113

$48.98 €42.21

-54.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 R$111

$18.83 €16.22

16.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 R$31.58

$9.52 €8.21

-34.45%

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

$307 R$1,554

$608 €524

-49.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,243 R$36.7K

$16.5K €14.2K

-56.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.24 R$244

$104 €89.5

-53.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 R$291

$42.12 €36.29

36.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 R$415

$92.2 €79.5

-11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 R$315

$120 €103

-48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 R$2,511

$1,621 €1,397

-69.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 R$1,390

$1,268 €1,092

-78.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,289

$3,048 €2,626

-72.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 R$2,911

$2,009 €1,731

-71.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 R$1,916

$1,585 €1,366

-76.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

162.47%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 319% 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: $27.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $269 per month, with Santa Cruz do Sul cheaper across the board.

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 do Sul vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz do Sul and Lisbon differ by about 162% in total monthly costs ($865 vs $2,263 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 319% 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: $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz do Sul but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz do Sul 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, Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Santa Cruz do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 162% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.