Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Caraguatatuba

For one person, living is cheaper in Caraguatatuba: $778 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Caraguatatuba, Brazil
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Caraguatatuba
🇧🇷 Brazil
$778
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Caraguatatuba

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $778 in Caraguatatuba.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Caraguatatuba $778

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,259 in Caraguatatuba.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Caraguatatuba $1,259

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $1,739 in Caraguatatuba.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Caraguatatuba $1,739

Living in Lisbon is roughly 184% more expensive than in Caraguatatuba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Caraguatatuba is 43% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$6.94 R$37.36
139.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$26.88 R$145
129.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$8.24 R$44.37
37.86%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.15 R$11.58
38.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.10 R$5.91
108.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.86 R$4.65
102.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.25 R$12.11
51.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.94 R$15.81
12.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.00 R$5.38
16.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.50 R$8.07
27.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.23 R$6.60
22.76%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$1.83 R$9.84
119.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$5.62 R$30.24
130.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$2.96 R$15.92
162.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$7.28 R$39.20
143.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.94 R$10.43
18.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.58 R$8.50
9.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.39 R$7.48
33.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$1.26 R$6.78
105.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.24 R$6.65
46.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$0.77 R$4.14
155.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.67 R$3.60
119.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.77 R$4.16
-6.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$2.00 R$10.78
229.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$6.33 R$34.08
-11.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.46 R$7.84
-6.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.36 R$12.70
-9.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.96 R$5.16
142.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$21.53 R$116
107.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.08 R$5.84
256.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.66 R$3.56
62.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$3.30 R$17.77
398.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.21 R$6.52
81.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$14.3K R$77.0K
139.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$27.6K R$148.7K
40.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$62.2 R$335
159.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$12.19 R$65.6
51.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$21.17 R$114
54.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$20.15 R$108
121.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$15.02 R$80.9
27.16%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$7.41 R$39.89
29.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$207 R$1,111
223.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$3,944 R$21.2K
346.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$53.3 R$287
91.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$52.1 R$280
-14.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$72.4 R$390
36.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$55.4 R$298
123.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$396 R$2,132
306.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$218 R$1,175
445.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$790 R$4,254
255.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$484 R$2,606
315.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$1,610 R$8,666
386.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$1,166 R$6,277
292.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Caraguatatuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$308 R$1,658
411.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
8.15
-52.76%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Caraguatatuba
$218 81.7% $972
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Caraguatatuba
$164 39.9% $109
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Caraguatatuba
$131 46% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Caraguatatuba
$96 55% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Caraguatatuba
$105 36.7% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Caraguatatuba
$35 45.1% $29
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Caraguatatuba
$30 52.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $396 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 5.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $27 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $164 per month, with Caraguatatuba cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇷 Caraguatatuba
🕒 Local time
13:53 1:53 PM
10:53 10:53 AM
3 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
134,873
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5.38 BRL (1 BRL = 0.186 USD). 1 EUR = 6.01 BRL (1 BRL = 0.167 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Caraguatatuba 7,890 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Caraguatatuba

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 Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caraguatatuba cheaper than Lisbon?
Caraguatatuba is about 65% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lisbon or Caraguatatuba?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 5.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lisbon and Caraguatatuba?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $396 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Lisbon and in Caraguatatuba?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Caraguatatuba?
Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $27 versus $62 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Lisbon or in Caraguatatuba?
At $778 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Lisbon or in Caraguatatuba?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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