Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Castel and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,434 per month in Castel vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,838 per month in Castel vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,242 per month in Castel vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Castel costs about 5% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castel and Lisbon sit above the global median – Castel by 77%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.18 GGP 29.69

$17.30 €14.93

132.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 GGP 60.1

$63.3 €54.6

28.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

Cappuccino

$5.13 GGP 3.79

$3.19 €2.75

60.82%

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

$3.46 GGP 2.56

$2.45 €2.11

41.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 GGP 3.03

$1.76 €1.52

132.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 GGP 3.32

$3.59 €3.10

25.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 GGP 4.92

$3.39 €2.93

96.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 GGP 1.48

$1.24 €1.07

61.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 GGP 1.72

$2.32 €2.01

0.43%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

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

$41.4K €35.8K

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

$170 €147

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

$27.64 GGP 20.43

$19.34 €16.69

42.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 GGP 49.54

$33.64 €29.03

99.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

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

$717 €619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 GGP 1,494

$1,677 €1,447

20.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 GGP 1,410

$1,271 €1,097

50.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,107 GGP 3,035

$2,985 €2,575

37.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,815 GGP 2,819

$1,992 €1,719

91.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Castel: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,021 in Castel versus $1,677 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 $81.0 in Castel versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $20.00 in Castel vs $283 in Lisbon – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Castel vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,650 per month in Castel and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1312% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Castel and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,434 in Castel and $2,316 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.