Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Braganca

For one person, living is cheaper in Braganca: $1,014 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Braganca, Portugal
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Braganca
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,014
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Braganca

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,014 in Braganca.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Braganca $1,014

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,532 in Braganca.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Braganca $1,532

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,049 in Braganca.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Braganca $2,049

Living in Lisbon is roughly 118% more expensive than in Braganca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Braganca is 25% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$11.30 €10.12
47.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$39.85 €35.69
54.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$9.21 €8.24
23.34%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.43 €1.28
107.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.38 €1.24
65.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.03 €0.93
68.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$1.10 €0.98
209.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.29 €2.06
44.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.06 €0.95
9.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.72 €1.54
11.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.51 €1.35
-
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.22 €2.88
24.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$9.38 €8.40
37.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$6.38 €5.72
21.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$12.09 €10.83
46.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.36 €2.12
-2.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.36 €1.22
27.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.82 €1.63
2.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.66 €2.38
-2.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.98 €1.77
-8.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.95 €1.74
1.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.35 €1.21
8.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.91 €0.81
-20.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$5.77 €5.17
14.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$4.42 €3.96
26.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.16 €1.04
17.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.57 €1.41
36.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$11.33 €10.14
294.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$3.91 €3.50
-1.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.13 €1.01
-5.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$16.23 €14.53
1.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.17 €1.94
1.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$33.7K €30.2K
1.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$37.5K €33.6K
3.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$104 €93.0
55.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$16.79 €15.04
9.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$34.87 €31.23
-6.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$33.95 €30.40
31.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$5.65 €5.06
238.05%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$5.50 €4.92
74.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$307 €275
117.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$9,170 €8,213
92.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$22.69 €20.32
349.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$22.62 €20.26
96.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$67.5 €60.4
46.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$98.7 €88.4
25.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$400 €358
301.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$315 €282
277.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$735 €658
282.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$474 €424
324.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$1,064 €953
636.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$853 €764
436.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Braganca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,160 €1,039
35.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.47
10.95%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Braganca: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Braganca
$315 73.5% $875
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Braganca
$228 16.4% $45
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Braganca
$155 36.1% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Braganca
$155 26.8% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Braganca
$95 42.6% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Braganca
$45 29.5% $19
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Braganca
$21 * 66.9% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $400 in Braganca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $40 in Braganca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $228 per month, with Braganca cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇹 Braganca
🕒 Local time
22:42 10:42 PM
22:42 10:42 PM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
34,589
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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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 Braganca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Braganca?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,014 in Braganca, so Braganca is about 54% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Braganca?
Average pay runs 36% higher in Lisbon, 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 Braganca?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $400 in Braganca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Lisbon and in Braganca?
A monthly transit pass in Braganca runs roughly 75% less than in Lisbon. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Braganca?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $307 in Braganca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,014 in Braganca versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Braganca but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Braganca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Braganca?
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.
Is Lisbon or Braganca safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Braganca are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Braganca?
Expats usually find Braganca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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