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: $1,081 in Sao Tome versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Sao Tome versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,601 in Sao Tome versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Tome is 19% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 STN 428

$16.19 €14.17

23.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.96 STN 984

$63.3 €55.4

-27.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 STN 213

$10.32 €9.03

-3.59%

Cappuccino

$1.72 STN 36.89

$2.83 €2.48

-39.22%

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

$1.94 STN 41.57

$2.29 €2.00

-15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 STN 24.60

$1.58 €1.38

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 STN 34.99

$3.40 €2.98

-52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 STN 40.27

$4.03 €3.52

-53.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 STN 28.48

$1.09 €0.95

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 STN 22.32

$1.75 €1.53

-40.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 STN 48.39

$1.76 €1.54

28.41%

Eggs

$4.94 STN 106

$3.17 €2.77

55.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.05 STN 429

$13.19 €11.54

52.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.87 STN 425

$7.97 €6.97

149.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 STN 528

$15.53 €13.59

58.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 STN 96.2

$2.37 €2.07

89.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 STN 25.31

$1.71 €1.49

-30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 STN 85.1

$2.01 €1.76

98.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 STN 75.2

$2.43 €2.13

44.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 STN 55.3

$1.76 €1.54

46.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 STN 42.63

$2.03 €1.78

-1.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 STN 14.20

$1.92 €1.68

-65.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 STN 40.63

$0.85 €0.74

123.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 STN 49.71

$6.58 €5.76

-64.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 STN 170

$5.58 €4.88

42.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 STN 27.14

$1.33 €1.17

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.68

$2.97 €2.60

-54.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 STN 26.98

$2.28 €1.99

-44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.14 STN 303

$18.44 €16.13

-23.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 STN 35.23

$2.08 €1.82

-20.67%

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)

$22.8K STN 487.7K

$39.2K €34.3K

-41.79%

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

$148 €130

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

$34.83 STN 745

$20.46 €17.90

70.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 STN 1,553

$39.56 €34.61

83.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 STN 784

$47.99 €41.99

-23.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.39 STN 629

$18.60 €16.27

58.01%

Cinema Ticket

$21.14 STN 452

$9.22 €8.07

129.28%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.10 STN 409

$122 €107

-84.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 STN 7,560

$1,633 €1,428

-78.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 STN 5,021

$1,232 €1,078

-80.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 STN 14.2K

$3,098 €2,711

-78.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 STN 11.0K

$2,031 €1,777

-74.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,840 STN 39.4K

$7,831 €6,851

-76.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 STN 24.6K

$4,389 €3,840

-73.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$265 STN 5,675

$1,607 €1,406

-83.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

3.81

93.70%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Sao Tome and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 506% 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 $411 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

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

Sao Tome and Lisbon differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,081 vs $2,291 including rent). Sao Tome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 506% 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: $353 in Sao Tome versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Tome – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,081 per month in Sao Tome versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,081 in Sao Tome versus $2,291 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 112% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.