Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Braganca Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Braganca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,066 in Braganca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,590 in Braganca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $2,113 in Braganca.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 115% more expensive than in Braganca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Braganca is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.24

$11.71 €10.15

50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.5

$40.15 €34.79

56.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.04

$9.33 €8.09

24.12%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$1.53 €1.32

102.61%

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

$2.49 €2.16

$1.38 €1.20

80.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.07 €0.93

62.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.02

$1.17 €1.01

197.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.98

$2.37 €2.05

45.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.85 €1.60

3.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.63 €1.41

-7.98%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.45

$3.46 €3.00

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.52

$10.02 €8.68

32.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.94

$6.81 €5.90

17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.64

$12.43 €10.77

45.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.41 €2.09

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.39 €1.21

25.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.92 €1.66

-3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.21

$2.89 €2.50

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.01 €1.74

-8.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.82

$1.89 €1.64

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.26 €1.09

18.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.92 €0.79

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.15

$6.11 €5.29

16.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$4.64 €4.02

27.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.24 €1.08

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.73 €1.50

23.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.40

$11.74 €10.17

297.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.53

$4.01 €3.48

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.81

$17.43 €15.10

-1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.13 €1.84

8.45%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$34.4K €29.8K

-0.70%

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

$41.4K €35.9K

$39.2K €34.0K

5.56%

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

$169 €146

$115 €99.3

47.08%

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

$19.33 €16.75

$18.43 €15.97

4.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.04

$36.24 €31.41

-7.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.32

$35.15 €30.46

38.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.84

$5.63 €4.88

245.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.29

$5.73 €4.97

67.02%

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

$696 €603

$341 €295

104.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.0K

$10.1K €8,755

71.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.3

$22.88 €19.83

360.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.38

$22.65 €19.63

110.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.1

$68.7 €59.5

46.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$101 €87.4

23.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,440

$422 €366

293.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,080

$328 €285

279.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,569

$744 €645

298.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,775

$480 €416

326.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,789

$1,100 €953

612.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,869

$862 €747

418.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,414

$1,183 €1,025

37.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.55

6.48%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Braganca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $422 in Braganca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 38% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $40.00 in Braganca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $239 per month, with Braganca 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 Braganca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Braganca differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,066 including rent). Braganca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $422 in Braganca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Braganca runs roughly 297% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $341 in Braganca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,066 in Braganca versus $2,296 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.

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 Braganca 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 Braganca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.