Cost of Living Comparison Between India and PortugalCost of Living Comparison Between India and Portugal
Monthly Cost of Living
๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $389 in India versus $1,638 in Portugal.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $618 in India versus $2,407 in Portugal.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $3,176 in Portugal.
๐Living in India costs about 76% less than in Portugal on average.
๐India (71% below) and Portugal (22% above) straddle the global median.
๐Internal cost variation is higher in Portugal: monthly costs span $1,043 to $2,441, compared to $270โ$887 in India. City choice carries more weight in Portugal.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
India
Portugal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.58โน243
$11.80โฌ10.07
-78.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.07โน1,327
$51.9โฌ44.24
-72.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.14โน390
$9.28โฌ7.92
-55.39%
Cappuccino
$1.81โน170
$2.14โฌ1.82
-15.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43โน40.65
$1.97โฌ1.68
-78.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16โน15.39
$1.37โฌ1.17
-88.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.96โน185
$2.96โฌ2.53
-33.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47โน328
$3.42โฌ2.92
1.46%
๐ Groceries & Markets
India
Portugal
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.72โน68.0
$1.06โฌ0.91
-32.08%
White Bread(500g)
$0.49โน45.89
$1.57โฌ1.34
-68.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.67โน63.4
$1.62โฌ1.38
-58.64%
Eggs
$0.99โน93.3
$3.14โฌ2.68
-68.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.14โน485
$11.98โฌ10.22
-57.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.20โน302
$7.62โฌ6.50
-58.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$14.38โฌ12.27
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.21โน208
$2.29โฌ1.96
-3.49%
Banana(1kg)
$0.70โน65.8
$1.51โฌ1.29
-53.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.05โน98.6
$1.80โฌ1.54
-41.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.53โน49.71
$2.51โฌ2.14
-78.88%
Potato(1kg)
$0.43โน40.31
$1.69โฌ1.44
-74.56%
Onion(1kg)
$0.49โน45.82
$1.92โฌ1.64
-74.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.52โน48.87
$1.63โฌ1.39
-68.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32โน30.60
$0.81โฌ0.69
-60.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.13โน389
$6.34โฌ5.41
-34.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55โน712
$5.77โฌ4.92
30.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82โน172
$1.31โฌ1.12
38.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88โน272
$2.51โฌ2.14
14.74%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.63โน531
-
-
๐ Getting Around
India
Portugal
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34โน31.65
$2.26โฌ1.93
-84.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.70โน915
$46.87โฌ39.98
-79.30%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.97โน91.1
$3.93โฌ3.36
-75.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28โน26.08
$1.01โฌ0.86
-72.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.70โน160
$17.18โฌ14.66
-90.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23โน116
$1.92โฌ1.64
-35.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.7Kโน1.3M
$34.3Kโฌ29.3K
-59.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0Kโน2.2M
$39.9Kโฌ34.0K
-42.27%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Portugal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.37โน3,806
$136โฌ116
-70.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.90โน368
$21.19โฌ18.07
-81.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.98โน752
$42.83โฌ36.53
-81.37%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
India
Portugal
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.26โน1,533
$44.53โฌ37.99
-63.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.63โน719
$16.86โฌ14.38
-54.74%
Cinema Ticket
$3.56โน335
$8.76โฌ7.48
-59.36%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
India
Portugal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$70.8โน6,671
$508โฌ433
-86.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,810โน170.6K
$12.5Kโฌ10.6K
-85.49%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
India
Portugal
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.95โน2,353
$92.3โฌ78.7
-72.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.83โน2,530
$38.96โฌ33.23
-31.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$45.39โน4,279
$89.5โฌ76.3
-49.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.38โน3,147
$105โฌ89.8
-68.28%
๐ Accommodation & Living
India
Portugal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$173โน16.3K
$1,089โฌ929
-84.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$113โน10.7K
$862โฌ735
-86.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$412โน38.9K
$1,840โฌ1,569
-77.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$257โน24.3K
$1,322โฌ1,128
-80.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,260โน118.8K
$3,995โฌ3,408
-68.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$631โน59.5K
$2,873โฌ2,451
-78.04%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
India
Portugal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$432โน40.7K
$1,351โฌ1,152
-68.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.02
4.83
86.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for India: April 27, 2026
Last update for Portugal: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $127 in India, $936 in Portugal. Capital cities: $242 in Delhi vs $1,604 in Lisbon.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $401 in India, $1,328 in Portugal. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 637% higher in Portugal.
โญDining out costs 336% more in Portugal.
โญPublic transport is 356% more expensive in Portugal.
โญSalaries are 231% higher in Portugal, giving India stronger purchasing power.
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
India vs Portugal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Portugal?
At $579 per month in India and $1,742 in Portugal, there's a 201% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
India is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Portugal beats India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or Portugal?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Portugal, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or Portugal?
It depends on what you're after. India wins on affordability; Portugal may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.