Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo Este and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo Este and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $648 in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,296 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,061 in Santo Domingo Este versus $3,376 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Santo Domingo Este versus $4,457 in Lisbon.

Living in Santo Domingo Este costs roughly 72% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santo Domingo Este is 53% below, Lisbon is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 DOP 300

$17.59 €15.24

-71.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.40 DOP 2,495

$62.9 €54.5

-32.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 DOP 404

$11.58 €10.04

-40.67%

Cappuccino

$0.99 DOP 58.5

$3.10 €2.69

-68.06%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.6

$2.49 €2.16

-56.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 DOP 37.50

$1.74 €1.51

-63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 152

$3.48 €3.02

-25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 DOP 211

$3.44 €2.98

4.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 81.7

$1.15 €0.99

20.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 DOP 89.4

$1.91 €1.65

-20.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 DOP 97.0

$1.50 €1.30

10.00%

Eggs

$2.45 DOP 144

$3.98 €3.45

-38.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 DOP 440

$13.29 €11.52

-43.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 DOP 340

$8.01 €6.94

-27.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.01 DOP 413

$18.04 €15.64

-61.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 187

$2.35 €2.04

35.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.51

$1.75 €1.52

-53.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 DOP 165

$1.85 €1.61

51.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 DOP 107

$2.55 €2.21

-28.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 DOP 122

$1.84 €1.60

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 DOP 131

$2.10 €1.82

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 DOP 63.0

$1.49 €1.29

-28.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 57.2

$0.82 €0.71

18.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 DOP 312

$7.10 €6.15

-25.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 DOP 624

$5.91 €5.12

79.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 DOP 157

$1.31 €1.14

103.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DOP 182

$2.13 €1.85

45.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 203

$4.08 €3.53

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 DOP 137

$1.14 €0.99

104.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 DOP 347

$17.09 €14.81

-65.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.8

$2.31 €2.00

-44.16%

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

$23.3K DOP 1.4M

$34.1K €29.6K

-31.73%

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

$34.1K DOP 2.0M

$41.4K €35.9K

-17.51%

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

$93.1 DOP 5,480

$169 €146

-44.75%

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

$32.16 DOP 1,893

$19.33 €16.75

66.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.97 DOP 2,176

$33.51 €29.04

10.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 DOP 460

$9.57 €8.29

-18.29%

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

$262 DOP 15.4K

$696 €603

-62.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 DOP 439.0K

$17.4K €15.0K

-57.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.06 DOP 2,769

$105 €91.3

-55.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.60 DOP 2,860

$47.75 €41.38

1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 DOP 5,297

$101 €87.1

-10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 DOP 7,422

$124 €108

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 DOP 35.0K

$1,632 €1,414

-63.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

3.78

258.73%

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

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lisbon pays 174% 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: $42.00 in Santo Domingo Este vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $277 per month, with Santo Domingo Este 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

Santo Domingo Este vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo Este and Lisbon differ by about 254% in total monthly costs ($648 vs $2,296 including rent). Santo Domingo Este is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 174% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $648 per month in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,296 in Lisbon – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $648 in Santo Domingo Este versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este 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, Santo Domingo Este 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 Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.