Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aracaju

For one person, living is cheaper in Aracaju: $659 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Aracaju, Brazil
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Aracaju
🇧🇷 Brazil
$659
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Aracaju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Aracaju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Lisbon versus $659 in Aracaju.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Aracaju $659

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,276 in Lisbon versus $1,043 in Aracaju.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Aracaju $1,043

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $1,427 in Aracaju.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Aracaju $1,427

Living in Lisbon is roughly 235% more expensive than in Aracaju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 63% above, Aracaju is 51% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.08
$4.63 R$25.28
264.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.6
$21.63 R$118
182.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.82
$5.42 R$29.61
102.58%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.73
$1.92 R$10.48
58.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.07 R$5.85
113.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$0.55 R$3.02
205.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$1.88 R$10.25
82.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.49
$2.90 R$15.85
34.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.03 R$5.61
11.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.40 R$7.65
35.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.09 R$5.94
37.61%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.68
$1.59 R$8.66
159.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.63
$6.99 R$38.20
86.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.19
$3.60 R$19.63
123.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €16.00
$6.82 R$37.24
162.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$1.94 R$10.57
17.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.23 R$6.74
41.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$0.66 R$3.59
175.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.40
$0.82 R$4.49
228.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.03 R$5.61
71.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$0.90 R$4.90
115.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.51 R$2.79
186.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.70 R$3.83
8.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.95
$2.25 R$12.30
196.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.04
$5.58 R$30.48
1.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.14 R$6.22
13.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.85 R$10.13
15.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.06
$0.85 R$4.65
170.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.36
$38.97 R$213
12.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.56
$1.16 R$6.33
243.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.61 R$3.33
4.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.92
$6.05 R$33.05
212.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.19 R$6.50
91.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.8K
$21.4K R$116.7K
56.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.4K
$31.0K R$169.1K
24.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$58.7 R$320
169.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.68
$9.26 R$50.6
89.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.89
$15.77 R$86.1
97.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.92
$21.03 R$115
112.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.97
$25.96 R$142
-26.89%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.56
$5.85 R$31.92
63.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €602
$277 R$1,513
143.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$5,017 R$27.4K
273.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$53.1 R$290
92.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €41.04
$32.44 R$177
41.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.4
$81.1 R$443
26.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$75.3 R$411
62.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,467
$280 R$1,530
485.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,062
$135 R$736
780.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,526
$590 R$3,224
378.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,805
$250 R$1,366
706.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €7,007
$1,204 R$6,573
550.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,204
$849 R$4,636
453.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Aracaju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,508
$422 R$2,302
300.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
10
-61.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Aracaju
$135 88.6% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Aracaju
$154 43.9% $120
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Aracaju
$98 60% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Aracaju
$84 59.5% $123
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Aracaju
$109 35% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Aracaju
$33 48.7% $31
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Aracaju
$47 22.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Lisbon and $280 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Lisbon vs $22 in Aracaju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $154 per month, with Aracaju cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇷 Aracaju
🕒 Local time
00:15 12:15 AM
21:15 9:15 PM
3 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
602,757
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.46 BRL (1 BRL = 0.183 USD). 1 EUR = 6.11 BRL (1 BRL = 0.164 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Aracaju 6,230 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Aracaju

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
Lisbon vs Aracaju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Aracaju?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $659 in Aracaju, so Aracaju is about 70% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Aracaju?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 4 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Aracaju?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Lisbon versus $280 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Aracaju?
Childcare runs $674 in Lisbon versus $277 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $659 in Aracaju versus $2,206 in Lisbon, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Aracaju but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Aracaju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Aracaju?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Aracaju?
Expats usually find Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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