Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Sao Tome versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Sao Tome versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Sao Tome versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 47% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Tome is 10% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 STN 198

$17.30 €14.89

-45.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.23 STN 975

$63.3 €54.4

-26.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 STN 171

$11.39 €9.80

-28.62%

Cappuccino

$2.37 STN 50.1

$3.19 €2.75

-25.71%

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

$1.86 STN 39.18

$2.45 €2.10

-24.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 STN 26.83

$1.76 €1.52

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 STN 36.24

$3.59 €3.09

-52.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 STN 40.43

$3.39 €2.92

-43.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 STN 34.94

$1.24 €1.06

33.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 STN 21.24

$1.98 €1.71

-48.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 STN 45.56

$1.52 €1.31

42.11%

Eggs

$5.07 STN 107

$4.04 €3.48

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.55 STN 434

$13.54 €11.65

51.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.10 STN 424

$8.39 €7.22

139.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.81 STN 524

$18.25 €15.70

35.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 STN 81.8

$2.29 €1.97

69.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 STN 38.59

$1.74 €1.50

5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 STN 80.4

$1.86 €1.60

104.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 STN 77.5

$2.63 €2.26

39.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 STN 62.8

$1.92 €1.65

55.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 STN 52.5

$2.09 €1.80

19.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 STN 11.11

$1.44 €1.24

-63.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 STN 44.21

$0.84 €0.72

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 STN 48.69

$6.78 €5.83

-65.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 STN 177

$5.71 €4.91

46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 STN 33.23

$1.38 €1.18

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 STN 36.74

$2.22 €1.91

-21.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 STN 30.72

$2.40 €2.06

-39.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 STN 35.68

$4.17 €3.59

-59.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 STN 55.9

$1.14 €0.98

132.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.38 STN 303

$17.68 €15.21

-18.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 STN 38.33

$2.32 €2.00

-21.55%

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

$26.0K STN 548.7K

$35.3K €30.4K

-26.41%

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

$32.6K STN 687.0K

$41.4K €35.7K

-21.44%

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

$238 STN 5,014

$170 €147

39.51%

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

$32.55 STN 687

$19.34 €16.64

68.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 STN 1,472

$33.64 €28.95

107.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.06 STN 740

$48.10 €41.39

-27.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.12 STN 551

$19.90 €17.12

31.26%

Cinema Ticket

$20.63 STN 435

$9.92 €8.54

107.96%

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

$240 STN 5,055

$717 €617

-66.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,261 STN 47.7K

$17.5K €15.0K

-87.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.9 STN 1,623

$46.95 €40.40

63.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.38 STN 409

$124 €107

-84.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 STN 6,196

$1,677 €1,443

-82.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 STN 4,191

$1,271 €1,094

-84.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 STN 20.1K

$2,985 €2,568

-68.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 STN 9,569

$1,992 €1,715

-77.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 STN 39.8K

$7,826 €6,734

-75.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,166 STN 24.6K

$4,658 €4,008

-74.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 STN 5,772

$1,583 €1,362

-82.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

3.79

94.72%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Sao Tome and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 479% 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: $46.00 in Sao Tome vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $425 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

Sao Tome vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome and Lisbon differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $2,316 including rent). Sao Tome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 479% 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: $294 in Sao Tome 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 50% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Sao Tome versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,237 in Sao Tome versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome 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, Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.