đMonthly costs for one person with rent: $522 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $2,210 in Lisbon.
đEstimated couple costs with rent: $825 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $3,311 in Lisbon.
đMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,127 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $4,411 in Lisbon.
đLiving in SÄŤrjÄn costs roughly 76% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
đThe two cities straddle the global median: SÄŤrjÄn is 61% below, Lisbon is 65% above.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.96$3.96
$15.91âŹ13.69
-75.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.15$17.15
$64.8âŹ55.7
-73.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.52$4.52
$10.51âŹ9.04
-56.99%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.64$0.64
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05$1.05
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.15$1.15
$2.87âŹ2.47
-59.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46$0.46
$2.24âŹ1.93
-79.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92$0.92
$1.50âŹ1.29
-38.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.49âŹ3.00
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.88âŹ3.34
-
đ Groceries & Markets
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.59$0.59
$1.14âŹ0.98
-48.25%
White Bread(500g)
$0.53$0.53
$1.75âŹ1.51
-69.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.92$1.92
$1.76âŹ1.51
9.09%
Eggs
$1.19$1.19
$3.22âŹ2.77
-63.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.43$3.43
$13.49âŹ11.61
-74.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.21$3.21
$7.91âŹ6.81
-59.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.09$10.09
$15.87âŹ13.65
-36.42%
Apples(1kg)
$0.86$0.86
$2.31âŹ1.99
-62.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.41$1.41
$1.70âŹ1.46
-17.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.84$0.84
$2.01âŹ1.73
-58.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.58$0.58
$2.46âŹ2.12
-76.42%
Potato(1kg)
$0.52$0.52
$1.84âŹ1.59
-71.74%
Onion(1kg)
$0.45$0.45
$2.00âŹ1.72
-77.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60$0.60
$1.93âŹ1.66
-68.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.25$0.25
$0.79âŹ0.68
-68.35%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.53$0.53
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.46$0.46
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37$1.37
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22$2.22
$6.61âŹ5.68
-66.41%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$5.72âŹ4.92
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.37âŹ1.17
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.97âŹ2.56
-
đ Getting Around
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21$0.21
$2.37âŹ2.04
-91.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.16$10.16
$45.56âŹ39.19
-77.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.37$0.37
$4.29âŹ3.69
-91.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.27$0.27
$0.82âŹ0.70
-67.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.02$2.02
$18.30âŹ15.74
-88.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.78$0.78
$2.06âŹ1.78
-62.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$71.4K$71.4K
$34.3KâŹ29.5K
108.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$55.7K$55.7K
$39.3KâŹ33.8K
41.78%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$15.64$15.64
$148âŹ127
-89.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.11$2.11
$20.52âŹ17.65
-89.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.69$5.69
$39.61âŹ34.08
-85.63%
đ Sport & Entertainment
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.25$16.25
$47.85âŹ41.16
-66.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.60$12.60
$18.92âŹ16.28
-33.40%
Cinema Ticket
$1.54$1.54
$9.18âŹ7.90
-83.22%
𧸠Childcare & Education
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$114$114
$614âŹ528
-81.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,958$1,958
$16.0KâŹ13.8K
-87.80%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.09$22.09
$105âŹ90.0
-78.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.06$25.06
$42.06âŹ36.18
-40.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109$109
$94.0âŹ80.8
16.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.9$68.9
$120âŹ103
-42.45%
đ Accommodation & Living
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$290$290
$1,628âŹ1,400
-82.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$200$200
$1,255âŹ1,080
-84.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$629$629
$3,030âŹ2,607
-79.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$325$325
$2,020âŹ1,738
-83.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,135$1,135
$7,800âŹ6,709
-85.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$626$626
$4,273âŹ3,675
-85.35%
đľ Salaries & Financials
SÄŤrjÄn
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,603âŹ1,379
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
22.24
3.81
483.73%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for SÄŤrjÄn: June 2, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $290 in SÄŤrjÄn and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
đDining out: $17.00 in SÄŤrjÄn vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $107 vs $269 per month, with SÄŤrjÄn cheaper across the board.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
SÄŤrjÄn vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in SÄŤrjÄn and Lisbon?
SÄŤrjÄn and Lisbon differ by about 323% in total monthly costs ($522 vs $2,210 including rent). SÄŤrjÄn is meaningfully more affordable â a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in SÄŤrjÄn compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $783 in SÄŤrjÄn and $3,315 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in SÄŤrjÄn and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $290 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $1,628 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 SÄŤrjÄn and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $114 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 152% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $522 in SÄŤrjÄn versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in SÄŤrjÄn but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes SÄŤrjÄn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between SÄŤrjÄn and Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better â the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is SÄŤrjÄn or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, SÄŤrjÄn 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.
Where should expats move: SÄŤrjÄn or Lisbon?
Expats usually find SÄŤrjÄn gentler on the wallet â expenses run 323% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.