Cost of Living Comparison Between Funchal and Leon Cost of Living Comparison Between Funchal and Leon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,195 in Funchal versus $1,545 in Leon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,193 in Funchal versus $2,190 in Leon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,190 in Funchal versus $2,836 in Leon.

Living in Funchal is roughly 42% more expensive than in Leon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Funchal 60% above, Leon 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.58

$17.28 €14.91

-8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 €57.9

$43.69 €37.70

53.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 €11.88

$9.50 €8.20

44.84%

Cappuccino

$2.03 €1.75

$3.09 €2.67

-34.30%

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

$1.77 €1.52

$2.50 €2.16

-29.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.37 €1.19

5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 €2.56

$2.82 €2.43

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.45

$3.56 €3.07

12.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.12 €0.97

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.45 €1.25

25.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.38 €1.19

26.09%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.50

$3.54 €3.06

14.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 €9.06

$10.42 €8.99

0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 €6.76

$6.50 €5.61

20.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 €10.70

$15.72 €13.56

-21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.42 €2.09

-25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.29 €1.98

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.47 €2.13

-25.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.26

$2.53 €2.18

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.82 €1.57

9.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.09 €1.80

-0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.16 €1.00

45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.79 €0.68

5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 €4.89

$6.06 €5.23

-6.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 €6.12

$5.10 €4.40

39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.71 €1.47

-22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.24

$1.96 €1.69

32.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.37 €1.18

67.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.46 €30.60

$34.34 €29.63

3.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 €3.49

$2.38 €2.06

70.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.30 €1.12

12.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.43 €16.76

$37.68 €32.51

-48.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.77 €1.53

16.95%

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

$34.5K €29.8K

$37.9K €32.7K

-8.90%

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

$38.9K €33.5K

$32.6K €28.1K

19.14%

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

$128 €110

$177 €153

-27.86%

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

$17.67 €15.25

$17.06 €14.72

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.91 €43.07

$31.55 €27.23

58.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.24 €36.45

$35.11 €30.29

20.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.55 €7.38

$6.25 €5.39

36.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.94

$9.21 €7.95

-0.11%

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

$431 €372

$211 €182

104.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,907 €7,686

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 €55.1

$98.8 €85.3

-35.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 €30.30

$16.59 €14.31

111.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 €78.8

$84.6 €73.0

7.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 €68.0

$57.2 €49.36

37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 €1,325

$890 €768

72.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 €1,095

$604 €521

110.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 €2,211

$976 €842

162.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,071 €1,787

$784 €676

164.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,884 €4,215

$2,053 €1,772

137.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,454 €2,981

$1,618 €1,397

113.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,461 €1,260

$1,827 €1,577

-20.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.59

3.6

-0.28%

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

Last update for Funchal: August 30, 2026

Last update for Leon: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,536 in Funchal and $890 in Leon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leon pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Funchal vs $44.00 in Leon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $251 per month, with Leon cheaper across the board.

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

Funchal vs Leon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Funchal and Leon differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($2,195 vs $1,545 including rent). Leon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Leon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,536 in Funchal versus $890 in Leon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,195 per month in Funchal versus $1,545 in Leon – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Leon runs roughly 3% less than in Funchal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,545 in Leon versus $2,195 in Funchal, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Leon but tight or insufficient in Funchal. The gap between the two cities makes Leon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Funchal and Leon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Leon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Funchal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.