Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Barbacena Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Barbacena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $825 in Barbacena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,248 in Barbacena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,670 in Barbacena.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 175% more expensive than in Barbacena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Barbacena is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$5.39 R$27.66

225.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$20.08 R$103

221.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$5.75 R$29.49

102.61%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.60 R$8.19

103.75%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.50 R$7.70

66.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.88 R$4.53

89.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.28 R$6.56

171.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.10 R$10.75

70.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.14 R$5.86

3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.01 R$10.30

-2.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.33 R$6.80

17.29%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.29 R$11.72

75.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$10.65 R$54.6

24.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.21 R$21.60

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$9.74 R$49.94

87.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.71 R$13.91

-14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.80 R$9.22

-3.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.60 R$8.20

20.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$1.73 R$8.85

52.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.22 R$6.26

55.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.98 R$5.05

115.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.69 R$3.56

108.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.63 R$3.25

26.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.92 R$14.95

140.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.59 R$38.89

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.11 R$5.70

22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.55 R$13.07

-15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.00 R$5.12

138.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$41.72 R$214

10.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.22 R$6.23

243.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.86 R$4.42

27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$8.82 R$45.24

95.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.31 R$6.70

71.76%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$23.4K R$119.8K

47.47%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$32.1K R$164.6K

29.64%

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

$171 €147

$128 R$659

33.03%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$10.89 R$55.8

74.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$21.75 R$111

57.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$24.64 R$126

101.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$26.88 R$138

-27.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.62 R$39.06

32.55%

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

$699 €603

$541 R$2,773

29.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$12.5K R$64.0K

42.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$40.17 R$206

160.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$46.65 R$239

2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$68.8 R$353

48.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$64.8 R$332

98.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$222 R$1,137

649.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$163 R$836

653.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$412 R$2,113

607.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$301 R$1,545

571.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

$1,633 R$8,372

397.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

$1,150 R$5,898

302.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

11.93

-68.32%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Barbacena: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $222 in Barbacena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Barbacena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $209 per month, with Barbacena cheaper across the board.

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 Barbacena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Barbacena differ by about 175% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $825 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $1,238 in Barbacena to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $222 in Barbacena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $825 in Barbacena – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 11% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $825 in Barbacena versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barbacena but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Barbacena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Barbacena are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barbacena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.