Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Faro and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Faro: $1,918 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Faro, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
Faro
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,918
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Faro 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 Faro and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,918 per month in Faro vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Faro $1,918
  • Lisbon $2,210

A couple spends around $2,985 per month in Faro vs $3,275 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Faro $2,985
  • Lisbon $3,275

A family of three spends $4,052 per month in Faro vs $4,341 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Faro $4,052
  • Lisbon $4,341

Faro is about 13% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Faro and Lisbon sit above the global median – Faro by 41%, Lisbon by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.23 €11.86
$16.65 €14.93
-20.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.54 €39.95
$61.7 €55.4
-27.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.92
$11.36 €10.19
-2.64%
Cappuccino
$1.90 €1.71
$2.97 €2.66
-36.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.10
$2.29 €2.05
2.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.48
$1.74 €1.56
-5.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.73 €2.45
$3.40 €3.05
-19.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.27
$3.31 €2.97
-23.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.94
$1.16 €1.04
-9.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 €1.31
$1.91 €1.71
-23.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.51 €1.36
14.57%
Eggs
$3.54 €3.17
$4.02 €3.61
-11.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.56 €12.16
$12.94 €11.61
4.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.08 €5.45
$7.77 €6.97
-21.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.50 €10.31
$17.76 €15.93
-35.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.57 €2.30
$2.30 €2.07
11.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 €1.13
$1.73 €1.55
-27.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.57 €1.41
$1.86 €1.67
-15.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.25
$2.59 €2.32
-3.09%
Potato (1kg)
$3.17 €2.84
$1.82 €1.63
74.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.87
$1.97 €1.77
5.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 €1.26
$1.47 €1.32
-4.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €1.00
$0.72 €0.65
54.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.70
$6.58 €5.91
-3.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.05 €4.53
$5.61 €5.03
-9.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.86
$1.36 €1.22
-29.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 €3.04
$2.14 €1.92
58.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.20 €2.87
$2.33 €2.09
37.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.94 €33.14
$44.68 €40.08
-17.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.61 €3.24
$3.85 €3.45
-6.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 €1.02
$1.07 €0.96
6.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.12 €18.95
$16.46 €14.77
28.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 €1.90
$2.20 €1.97
-3.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.3K
$34.2K €30.7K
-1.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.7K
$38.7K €34.7K
-2.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 €98.0
$161 €145
-32.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.54 €17.52
$18.41 €16.51
6.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.75 €31.17
$32.74 €29.37
6.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.89 €35.78
$44.55 €39.96
-10.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.90 €18.75
$19.10 €17.13
9.42%
Cinema Ticket
$11.33 €10.16
$9.60 €8.61
18.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$465 €417
$668 €599
-30.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K €9,814
$17.6K €15.8K
-37.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 €64.5
$102 €91.5
-29.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.31 €38.85
$44.46 €39.89
-2.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €95.5
$98.5 €88.4
8.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 €90.2
$124 €111
-18.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 €1,167
$1,608 €1,443
-19.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 €938
$1,190 €1,067
-12.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,306 €2,068
$2,812 €2,523
-18.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,081 €1,866
$2,013 €1,806
3.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,162 €4,631
$7,839 €7,032
-34.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,630 €3,256
$4,576 €4,104
-20.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Faro
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,330 €1,193
$1,575 €1,413
-15.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
3.85
-7.27%

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

Last update for Faro: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Faro
$1K
Lisbon
$1.2K 13.8% $144
Groceries & Markets
Faro
$245
Lisbon
$272 11% $27
Eating Out
Faro
$197
Lisbon
$243 23.4% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Faro
$164
Lisbon
$212 29.9% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Faro
$145
Lisbon
$166 14.4% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Faro
$63
Lisbon
$64 1.9% $1.2
Getting Around
Faro
$59
Lisbon
$63 7% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,301 in Faro 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.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Lisbon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Faro versus $62 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $272 – making Faro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Faro
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
03:47 3:47 AM
03:47 3:47 AM
Same time as Faro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,650
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 = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Faro Lisbon 220 km
From you
  • Faro
  • 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
Faro vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Faro cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 15%, 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 $2,877 per month in Faro 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 Faro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,301 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Faro and $668 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Faro 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 $2,500 enough for either Faro or Lisbon?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,918 in Faro and $2,210 in Lisbon, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Faro or Lisbon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Faro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Faro or Lisbon?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Faro. 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.

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