Cost of Living Comparison Between Guarda and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Guarda and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,571 per month in Guarda vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Guarda vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Guarda vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Guarda is about 29% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guarda and Lisbon sit above the global median – Guarda by 17%, Lisbon by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.31 €8.81

$16.17 €13.81

-36.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €50.2

$64.6 €55.1

-8.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 €7.84

$10.38 €8.86

-11.56%

Cappuccino

$1.98 €1.69

$2.77 €2.37

-28.52%

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

$1.86 €1.59

$2.25 €1.92

-17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.57 €1.34

-28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 €2.70

$3.49 €2.98

-9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 €2.91

$4.00 €3.42

-15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.08 €0.93

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 €1.31

$1.74 €1.49

-11.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.74 €1.48

-9.20%

Eggs

$3.19 €2.72

$3.18 €2.71

0.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 €8.52

$13.43 €11.47

-25.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 €7.00

$7.99 €6.83

2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 €11.57

$16.09 €13.74

-15.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

$2.28 €1.95

-8.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.72 €1.47

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 €1.54

$1.94 €1.66

-6.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.53

$2.54 €2.17

16.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.83 €1.56

-5.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.04 €1.74

-6.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.98 €1.69

-38.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.79

$0.85 €0.73

9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.64

$6.85 €5.85

-3.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.65 €3.97

$5.78 €4.93

-19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.07

$1.37 €1.17

-8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.90 €2.48

-23.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €1.98

$2.28 €1.95

1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.89 €36.63

$46.84 €40.00

-8.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.64

$4.08 €3.48

4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 €1.41

$0.82 €0.70

101.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.19 €14.68

$18.27 €15.60

-5.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.64

$2.01 €1.71

-4.48%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$35.3K €30.1K

4.33%

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

$39.8K €34.0K

$38.5K €32.9K

3.43%

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

$138 €118

$145 €124

-4.95%

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

$17.05 €14.56

$20.96 €17.90

-18.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.08 €39.35

$40.05 €34.21

15.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.36 €37.88

$48.79 €41.66

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 €6.07

$9.06 €7.74

-21.63%

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

$350 €299

$607 €518

-42.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,916

$16.3K €13.9K

-36.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.17 €29.18

$105 €89.4

-67.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.87 €32.34

$40.95 €34.97

-7.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 €73.5

$93.6 €79.9

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 €84.9

$119 €101

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 €800

$1,604 €1,370

-41.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 €623

$1,236 €1,055

-41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 €1,232

$3,046 €2,601

-52.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 €1,000

$2,057 €1,756

-43.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,059 €2,613

$7,709 €6,583

-60.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,358 €2,014

$4,266 €3,644

-44.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.81

35.17%

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

Last update for Guarda: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $937 in Guarda versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Guarda versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $271 – making Guarda 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

Guarda vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 42% more than Guarda, 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 $2,357 per month in Guarda and $3,341 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Guarda and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,571 in Guarda and $2,227 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guarda, where all-in costs run around $1,571, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Guarda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guarda costs $1,571 versus $2,227 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 Guarda. 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.