Cost of Living Comparison Between Sosua and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Sosua and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,161 in Sosua versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,032 in Sosua versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Sosua versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Sosua costs roughly 49% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sosua is 13% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.63 DOP 503
$16.19 €14.15
-46.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.7 DOP 3,013
$63.3 €55.3
-18.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.05 DOP 410
$10.32 €9.02
-31.69%
Cappuccino
$2.63 DOP 153
$2.83 €2.47
-7.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 DOP 57.9
$2.29 €2.00
-56.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 DOP 48.19
$1.58 €1.38
-47.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 DOP 145
$3.40 €2.97
-26.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06 DOP 294
$4.03 €3.52
25.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 DOP 80.4
$1.09 €0.95
26.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 DOP 101
$1.75 €1.53
-1.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 DOP 67.7
$1.76 €1.54
-34.09%
Eggs
$1.84 DOP 107
$3.17 €2.77
-41.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.25 DOP 422
$13.19 €11.53
-45.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.47 DOP 377
$7.97 €6.96
-18.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.64 DOP 445
$15.53 €13.57
-50.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 DOP 151
$2.37 €2.07
9.28%
Banana (1kg)
$0.83 DOP 48.43
$1.71 €1.49
-51.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 DOP 168
$2.01 €1.75
43.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.87 DOP 109
$2.43 €2.12
-23.05%
Potato (1kg)
$2.29 DOP 133
$1.76 €1.54
30.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 DOP 134
$2.03 €1.78
13.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 DOP 60.3
$1.92 €1.68
-45.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 DOP 44.97
$0.85 €0.74
-9.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.91 DOP 344
$6.58 €5.75
-10.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.61 DOP 618
$5.58 €4.87
90.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 DOP 152
$1.33 €1.16
96.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 DOP 146
$2.97 €2.60
-15.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 DOP 40.32
$2.28 €1.99
-69.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$45.79 €40.01
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.33 DOP 194
$4.23 €3.69
-21.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 DOP 129
$0.81 €0.71
174.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.88 DOP 343
$18.44 €16.11
-68.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 DOP 77.6
$2.08 €1.82
-36.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.0K DOP 1.6M
$34.7K €30.3K
-22.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K DOP 1.9M
$39.2K €34.2K
-17.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.9 DOP 4,361
$148 €129
-49.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.57 DOP 1,198
$20.46 €17.88
0.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.93 DOP 2,093
$39.56 €34.56
-9.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.20 DOP 1,468
$47.99 €41.93
-47.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.60 €16.25
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.70 DOP 390
$9.22 €8.06
-27.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$267 DOP 15.5K
$616 €538
-56.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,378 DOP 371.4K
$16.4K €14.4K
-61.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 DOP 3,433
$103 €89.7
-42.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.8 DOP 2,960
$41.74 €36.47
21.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.2 DOP 5,661
$94.8 €82.8
2.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 DOP 6,827
$122 €107
-3.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$459 DOP 26.7K
$1,633 €1,426
-71.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 DOP 27.9K
$1,232 €1,077
-61.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,464 DOP 85.2K
$3,098 €2,707
-52.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,290 DOP 75.1K
$2,031 €1,775
-36.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,873 DOP 109.1K
$7,831 €6,842
-76.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,815 DOP 105.7K
$4,389 €3,835
-58.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sosua
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,607 €1,404
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.9
3.81
238.58%

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

Last update for Sosua: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $459 in Sosua and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Sosua vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $267 per month, with Sosua 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
Sosua vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sosua and in Lisbon?
Sosua and Lisbon differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,161 vs $2,291 including rent). Sosua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Sosua compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $1,742 in Sosua and $3,437 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 Sosua and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $459 in Sosua versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sosua or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $1,161 per month in Sosua versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,161 in Sosua versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sosua but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sosua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sosua and Lisbon?
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.
Is Sosua or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sosua 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: Sosua or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Sosua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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