Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and the Azores

For one person, living is cheaper in the Azores: $1,611 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Azores, Portugal
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Azores
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,611
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in the Azores

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 the Azores actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,611 in the Azores, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Azores $1,611

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,369 in the Azores, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Azores $2,369

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $3,126 in the Azores, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Azores $3,126

Lisbon costs about 37% more than the Azores, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lisbon and Azores sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Azores by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$11.71 €10.52
42.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$46.92 €42.15
31.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$9.52 €8.55
19.33%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$2.16 €1.94
37.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$1.93 €1.73
18.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.43 €1.28
21.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$2.25 €2.02
51.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$3.52 €3.16
-5.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.05 €0.94
10.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.53 €1.38
24.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.61 €1.44
-6.21%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$2.98 €2.68
34.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$11.46 €10.29
12.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$7.67 €6.89
1.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$14.24 €12.80
24.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$2.28 €2.05
0.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.41 €1.27
22.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.79 €1.61
3.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$2.53 €2.28
2.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.51 €1.36
20.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.84 €1.66
7.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.55 €1.39
-5.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.86 €0.77
-16.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$6.19 €5.56
6.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$5.14 €4.61
9.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.30 €1.16
4.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.31 €2.07
-7.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$2.29 €2.05
1.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$42.46 €38.14
5.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$4.09 €3.67
-5.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.86 €0.77
24.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$17.57 €15.78
-6.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.99 €1.78
10.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$34.4K €30.9K
-0.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$39.5K €35.5K
-2.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$135 €121
19.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$21.13 €18.98
-12.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$41.30 €37.10
-20.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$44.64 €40.10
-0.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$17.35 €15.58
10.09%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$8.48 €7.62
13.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$471 €423
41.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$8,351 €7,502
110.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$73.9 €66.3
38.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$38.73 €34.79
14.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$92.6 €83.2
6.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$92.2 €82.8
34.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$944 €848
70.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$734 €659
62.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$1,457 €1,309
93.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$1,169 €1,050
72.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$3,049 €2,739
157.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$2,337 €2,100
95.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Azores
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.01
-23.15%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for the Azores: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Azores
$734 38.4% $457
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Azores
$245 9.9% $27
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Azores
$180 25.8% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Azores
$197 7.2% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Azores
$134 19.3% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Azores
$62 3.4% $2.1
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Azores
$60 5.1% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $944 in the Azores. 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 $62 in Lisbon versus $47 in the Azores. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $245 – making Azores the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇹 Azores
🕒 Local time
21:19 9:19 PM
20:19 8:19 PM
1 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
236,657
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Azores 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Azores

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 Azores: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Azores cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,417 in the Azores. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in the Azores, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $944 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in the Azores?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Lisbon, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in the Azores?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $47 in the Azores. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough for either Lisbon or Azores?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,611 in the Azores, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Lisbon or Azores more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward the Azores – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Azores is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 27% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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