Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Azores and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in the Azores: $1,611 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Azores, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
Azores
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,611
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Azores and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Azores and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,611 per month in the Azores vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Azores $1,611
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in the Azores vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Azores $2,369
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $3,126 per month in the Azores vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Azores $3,126
  • Lisbon $4,341

Azores is about 27% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Azores and Lisbon sit above the global median – Azores by 18%, Lisbon by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 €10.52
$16.65 €14.96
-29.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.92 €42.16
$61.7 €55.5
-24.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.52 €8.55
$11.36 €10.20
-16.20%
Cappuccino
$2.16 €1.94
$2.97 €2.67
-27.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.73
$2.29 €2.06
-15.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.74 €1.56
-17.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 €2.02
$3.40 €3.06
-33.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 €3.16
$3.31 €2.97
6.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.94
$1.16 €1.04
-9.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.38
$1.91 €1.72
-19.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 €1.44
$1.51 €1.36
6.62%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.68
$4.02 €3.61
-25.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.46 €10.29
$12.94 €11.62
-11.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.67 €6.89
$7.77 €6.99
-1.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.24 €12.80
$17.76 €15.96
-19.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 €2.05
$2.30 €2.07
-0.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 €1.27
$1.73 €1.56
-18.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 €1.61
$1.86 €1.67
-3.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.53 €2.28
$2.59 €2.33
-2.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.82 €1.64
-17.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 €1.66
$1.97 €1.77
-6.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.39
$1.47 €1.32
5.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 €0.77
$0.72 €0.65
19.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19 €5.56
$6.58 €5.92
-5.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.14 €4.61
$5.61 €5.04
-8.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.36 €1.22
-4.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.14 €1.92
7.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.33 €2.10
-1.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.46 €38.15
$44.68 €40.14
-4.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.68
$3.85 €3.46
6.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 €0.77
$1.07 €0.96
-19.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.57 €15.78
$16.46 €14.79
6.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.79
$2.20 €1.98
-9.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.9K
$34.2K €30.7K
0.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K €35.5K
$38.7K €34.8K
2.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 €121
$161 €145
-16.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.13 €18.99
$18.41 €16.54
14.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.30 €37.11
$32.74 €29.41
26.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €40.11
$44.55 €40.03
0.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.35 €15.59
$19.10 €17.16
-9.16%
Cinema Ticket
$8.48 €7.62
$9.60 €8.62
-11.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$471 €423
$668 €600
-29.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,351 €7,504
$17.6K €15.8K
-52.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.9 €66.4
$102 €91.7
-27.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.73 €34.80
$44.46 €39.95
-12.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.6 €83.2
$98.5 €88.5
-6.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.2 €82.8
$124 €111
-25.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$944 €848
$1,608 €1,445
-41.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$734 €659
$1,190 €1,069
-38.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,457 €1,309
$2,812 €2,527
-48.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,050
$2,013 €1,809
-41.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,049 €2,740
$7,839 €7,043
-61.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,337 €2,100
$4,576 €4,111
-48.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Azores
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,575 €1,415
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.01
3.85
30.13%

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

Last update for the Azores: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Azores
$734
Lisbon
$1.2K 62.2% $457
Groceries & Markets
Azores
$245
Lisbon
$272 11% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Azores
$197
Lisbon
$212 7.7% $15
Eating Out
Azores
$180
Lisbon
$243 34.9% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Azores
$134
Lisbon
$166 24% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Azores
$62
Lisbon
$64 3.5% $2.1
Getting Around
Azores
$60
Lisbon
$63 5.4% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in the Azores versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in the Azores versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $272 – making Azores the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Azores
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
08:43 8:43 AM
09:43 9:43 AM
1 h ahead of the Azores
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
236,657
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Azores Lisbon 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Azores
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Azores vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Azores cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,417 per month in the Azores and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in the Azores, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $944 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do food prices compare in the Azores and in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in the Azores or in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in the Azores and $62 in Lisbon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough for either Azores or Lisbon?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,611 in the Azores and $2,210 in Lisbon, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Azores or Lisbon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward the Azores – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Azores is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 37% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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