Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaves and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaves and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,534 per month in Chaves vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Chaves vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,829 per month in Chaves vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Chaves is about 31% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chaves and Lisbon sit above the global median – Chaves by 14%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 €7.18

$15.91 €13.81

-47.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 €19.85

$64.8 €56.2

-64.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 €6.95

$10.51 €9.12

-23.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 €1.49

$2.87 €2.49

-40.07%

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

$1.77 €1.54

$2.24 €1.95

-20.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$1.50 €1.30

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 €1.95

$3.49 €3.03

-35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 €2.95

$3.88 €3.37

-12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.14 €0.99

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 €1.49

$1.75 €1.52

-1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.76 €1.52

9.09%

Eggs

$3.11 €2.70

$3.22 €2.79

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 €9.68

$13.49 €11.71

-17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 €7.07

$7.91 €6.87

3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 €12.10

$15.87 €13.77

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 €2.16

$2.31 €2.00

7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.70 €1.48

-8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.01 €1.74

-2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.64

$2.46 €2.13

23.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.84 €1.60

-29.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.64

$2.00 €1.74

-5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.46

$1.93 €1.67

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$0.79 €0.68

17.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 €5.24

$6.61 €5.73

-8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$5.72 €4.97

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.37 €1.18

-20.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.28

$2.97 €2.58

-11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.37 €2.06

-1.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.63 €36.99

$45.56 €39.53

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.57

$4.29 €3.72

-3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.82 €0.71

45.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 €12.42

$18.30 €15.88

-21.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$2.06 €1.79

-7.77%

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

$38.3K €33.2K

$34.3K €29.7K

11.68%

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

$39.9K €34.6K

$39.3K €34.1K

1.56%

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

$133 €115

$148 €128

-10.03%

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

$21.11 €18.32

$20.52 €17.80

2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.60 €36.96

$39.61 €34.37

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.90 €38.09

$47.85 €41.51

-8.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.64 €4.90

$18.92 €16.42

-70.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 €5.94

$9.18 €7.97

-25.38%

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

$348 €302

$614 €533

-43.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,364 €7,256

$16.0K €13.9K

-47.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 €64.4

$105 €90.8

-29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.87 €19.84

$42.06 €36.49

-45.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 €59.9

$94.0 €81.5

-26.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 €69.4

$120 €104

-33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 €796

$1,628 €1,412

-43.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 €622

$1,255 €1,089

-42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 €1,284

$3,030 €2,629

-51.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 €1,006

$2,020 €1,753

-42.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,053 €914

$1,603 €1,391

-34.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

3.81

42.52%

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

Last update for Chaves: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Chaves versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 52% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Chaves versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $269 – making Chaves the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chaves vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 44% more than Chaves, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,300 per month in Chaves and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Chaves and $614 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,534, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,534 versus $2,210 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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