Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,261 in Southern Cross versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,202 in Southern Cross versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,143 in Southern Cross versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs are close between Southern Cross and Lisbon; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Southern Cross 68% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 A$25.86

$15.94 €13.73

14.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.3 A$79.6

$63.4 €54.6

-11.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 A$13.94

$10.38 €8.95

-4.91%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.65

$2.79 €2.40

17.92%

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

$2.35 A$3.31

$2.34 €2.01

0.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 A$2.28

$1.57 €1.35

3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 A$9.23

$3.43 €2.95

90.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.77

$3.91 €3.37

94.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.12

$1.08 €0.93

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.30

$1.77 €1.52

32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.76

$1.71 €1.47

14.04%

Eggs

$2.63 A$3.72

$3.15 €2.71

-16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 A$12.18

$13.68 €11.79

-36.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.11

$8.01 €6.90

6.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 A$19.40

$15.52 €13.37

-11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 A$4.64

$2.29 €1.98

43.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.86

$1.64 €1.41

66.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.15

$1.94 €1.67

51.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 A$5.73

$2.51 €2.17

61.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.57

$1.79 €1.54

41.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.11

$2.01 €1.73

9.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.06

$1.97 €1.69

9.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.17

$0.84 €0.73

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.20 A$45.49

$6.79 €5.85

374.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$19.88

$5.67 €4.89

148.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.60

$1.39 €1.20

235.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 A$7.67

$3.02 €2.60

79.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 A$3.69

$2.27 €1.95

14.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 A$92.4

$45.44 €39.15

43.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 A$5.09

$4.29 €3.70

-16.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 A$2.22

$0.85 €0.73

84.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.48 A$47.30

$18.28 €15.75

83.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.59

$1.99 €1.71

-43.22%

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

$29.2K A$41.2K

$35.0K €30.2K

-16.69%

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

$22.5K A$31.8K

$39.5K €34.1K

-43.04%

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

$180 A$254

$146 €126

23.01%

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

$27.93 A$39.46

$20.45 €17.62

36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 A$74.9

$38.98 €33.58

36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.89 A$67.7

$48.98 €42.21

-2.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.00 A$22.60

$18.83 €16.22

-15.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 A$18.70

$9.52 €8.21

38.97%

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

$1,645 A$2,324

$608 €524

170.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$17.1K

$16.5K €14.2K

-26.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 A$95.1

$104 €89.5

-35.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 A$71.4

$42.12 €36.29

20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 A$141

$92.2 €79.5

8.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$150

$120 €103

-11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,753

$1,621 €1,397

-23.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 A$1,502

$1,268 €1,092

-16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 A$2,794

$3,048 €2,626

-35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 A$2,372

$2,009 €1,731

-16.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,790 A$9,594

$7,663 €6,602

-11.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,809 A$6,794

$4,329 €3,730

11.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,143 A$10.1K

$1,585 €1,366

350.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

3.81

64.04%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,241 in Southern Cross and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 351% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $56.0 in Southern Cross vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $269, 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

Southern Cross vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Cross pays 351% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,241 in Southern Cross versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Southern Cross runs roughly 44% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,261 in Southern Cross versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Southern Cross but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Southern Cross 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, Southern Cross 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.

It comes down to priorities – Southern Cross wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.