Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Seixal Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Seixal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,471 per month in Cuenca vs $1,653 in Seixal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,112 per month in Cuenca vs $2,424 in Seixal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Cuenca vs $3,195 in Seixal, rent included.

Cuenca is about 11% cheaper than Seixal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cuenca and Seixal sit above the global median – Cuenca by 9%, Seixal by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.59 €14.11

$13.69 €11.65

21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.30 €39.40

$45.62 €38.82

1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 €7.93

$9.19 €7.82

1.41%

Cappuccino

$2.28 €1.94

$2.78 €2.36

-17.99%

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

$2.05 €1.74

$2.12 €1.81

-3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.52 €1.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 €2.02

$2.30 €1.96

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.04

$3.40 €2.89

5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.91

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 €1.22

$1.75 €1.49

-18.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 €1.24

$1.70 €1.44

-14.12%

Eggs

$2.57 €2.18

$3.08 €2.62

-16.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.11 €13.71

$11.89 €10.12

35.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 €8.11

$7.88 €6.70

21.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 €11.81

$14.23 €12.11

-2.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 €2.54

$2.33 €1.98

27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 €1.28

$1.67 €1.42

-9.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 €1.27

$2.18 €1.85

-31.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 €2.73

$2.81 €2.39

14.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.50

$1.82 €1.55

-3.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.95 €1.66

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.21

$1.32 €1.13

7.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.85 €0.72

27.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 €4.99

$6.12 €5.21

-4.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 €5.64

$6.01 €5.12

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.30 €1.11

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.51

$2.09 €1.78

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 €1.06

$2.28 €1.94

-45.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.35 €29.23

$46.59 €39.65

-26.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €3.97

$4.20 €3.57

10.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.87

$0.81 €0.69

25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.68 €24.41

$18.74 €15.95

53.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.51

$1.98 €1.69

-10.10%

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

$38.2K €32.5K

$34.2K €29.1K

11.74%

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

$29.8K €25.3K

$39.7K €33.8K

-25.05%

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

$133 €114

$150 €128

-11.19%

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

$19.39 €16.50

$20.44 €17.39

-5.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 €23.91

$38.88 €33.09

-27.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.38 €38.62

$35.12 €29.89

29.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.39 €12.24

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 €7.20

$7.86 €6.69

7.63%

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

$349 €297

$621 €529

-43.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,731 €8,281

$16.2K €13.8K

-39.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 €58.5

$103 €87.5

-33.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.07 €34.95

$39.29 €33.44

4.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 €82.7

$99.9 €85.0

-2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €96.9

$122 €103

-6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 €589

$936 €796

-26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$519 €441

$694 €591

-25.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 €691

$1,416 €1,205

-42.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 €533

$1,162 €989

-46.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,485 €2,966

$3,357 €2,857

3.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 €2,032

$2,177 €1,853

9.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,460 €1,243

$1,668 €1,420

-12.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.81

-4.99%

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

Last update for Cuenca: April 12, 2026

Last update for Seixal: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Cuenca versus $936 in Seixal. 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 14% higher in Seixal, 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 $46 in Cuenca versus $46 in Seixal. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Cuenca vs $257 in Seixal – so Seixal 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

Cuenca vs Seixal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,471 in Cuenca, $1,653 in Seixal – roughly 12% apart. Seixal costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,207 per month in Cuenca and $2,480 in Seixal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $349 per month in Cuenca and $621 in Seixal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Seixal – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $1,471, than in Seixal at $1,653. In Cuenca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seixal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cuenca – 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 Cuenca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seixal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.