Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanajuato and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Guanajuato: $1,036 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guanajuato, Mexico
Lisbon, Portugal
Guanajuato
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,036
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,036 in Guanajuato versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Guanajuato $1,036
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,584 in Guanajuato versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Guanajuato $1,584
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,131 in Guanajuato versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Guanajuato $2,131
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Guanajuato costs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guanajuato is 24% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.29 MX$249
$16.65 €14.85
-20.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.45 MX$814
$61.7 €55.1
-29.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.12 MX$133
$11.36 €10.13
-37.32%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$67.6
$2.97 €2.65
21.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 MX$30.78
$2.29 €2.04
-28.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$17.66
$1.74 €1.55
-45.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 MX$49.34
$3.40 €3.04
-22.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.98 MX$93.2
$3.31 €2.95
50.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.25
$1.16 €1.03
30.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 MX$46.70
$1.91 €1.71
30.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.60
$1.51 €1.35
-2.65%
Eggs
$2.39 MX$44.85
$4.02 €3.59
-40.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.76 MX$89.1
$12.94 €11.54
-63.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 MX$175
$7.77 €6.94
20.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.63 MX$218
$17.76 €15.85
-34.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 MX$51.9
$2.30 €2.06
20.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 MX$29.04
$1.73 €1.55
-10.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.95
$1.86 €1.66
0.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 MX$28.18
$2.59 €2.31
-42.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 MX$37.66
$1.82 €1.62
10.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.85 MX$34.70
$1.97 €1.76
-6.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 MX$28.59
$1.47 €1.31
4.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$20.05
$0.72 €0.65
48.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.85 MX$90.9
$6.58 €5.87
-26.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.04 MX$188
$5.61 €5.00
78.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 MX$34.55
$1.36 €1.22
35.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 MX$61.0
$2.14 €1.91
51.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$11.33
$2.33 €2.08
-74.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.83 MX$503
$44.68 €39.86
-39.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.11 MX$39.58
$3.85 €3.43
-45.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 MX$28.10
$1.07 €0.95
40.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.59 MX$161
$16.46 €14.69
-47.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$27.33
$2.20 €1.96
-33.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6K MX$367.3K
$34.2K €30.5K
-42.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$430.1K
$38.7K €34.5K
-40.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.45 MX$908
$161 €144
-69.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.35 MX$363
$18.41 €16.43
5.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.67 MX$518
$32.74 €29.21
-15.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.04 MX$563
$44.55 €39.74
-32.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.18 MX$509
$19.10 €17.04
42.30%
Cinema Ticket
$5.98 MX$112
$9.60 €8.56
-37.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$203 MX$3,804
$668 €596
-69.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,520 MX$103.4K
$17.6K €15.7K
-68.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 MX$1,054
$102 €91.0
-44.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.12 MX$677
$44.46 €39.67
-18.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.8 MX$1,439
$98.5 €87.9
-22.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.5 MX$1,058
$124 €110
-54.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$511 MX$9,580
$1,608 €1,435
-68.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$300 MX$5,628
$1,190 €1,062
-74.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$766 MX$14.3K
$2,812 €2,509
-72.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$383 MX$7,178
$2,013 €1,796
-80.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,317 MX$24.7K
$7,839 €6,994
-83.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,091 MX$20.4K
$4,576 €4,082
-76.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guanajuato
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$704 MX$13.2K
$1,575 €1,405
-55.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
3.85
193.51%

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

Last update for Guanajuato: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guanajuato
$300
Lisbon
$1.2K 296% $890
Groceries & Markets
Guanajuato
$254
Lisbon
$272 7.3% $18
Eating Out
Guanajuato
$204
Lisbon
$243 18.7% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Guanajuato
$102
Lisbon
$166 63.4% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guanajuato
$95
Lisbon
$212 123% $117
Sport & Entertainment
Guanajuato
$42
Lisbon
$64 51.7% $22
Getting Around
Guanajuato
$39
Lisbon
$63 62.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Guanajuato and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 2.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Guanajuato vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $272 per month, with Guanajuato cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Guanajuato
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
15:16 3:16 PM
21:16 9:16 PM
6 h ahead of Guanajuato
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
70,068
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 21 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guanajuato Lisbon 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guanajuato
  • 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
Guanajuato vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Guanajuato or Lisbon?
Guanajuato wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Guanajuato the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Guanajuato or in Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Guanajuato. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Guanajuato compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $511 in Guanajuato versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Guanajuato or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Guanajuato and in Lisbon?
Dining out is cheaper in Guanajuato – a meal for two runs $43 versus $62 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Guanajuato or in Lisbon?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Guanajuato is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Guanajuato or Lisbon?
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.
How safe is Guanajuato compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Guanajuato and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Guanajuato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Guanajuato vs other spots: cost of living compared

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