Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Caraguatatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Caraguatatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $725 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,185 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,644 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 212% more expensive than Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Caraguatatuba is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$6.68 R$33.83

138.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$26.00 R$132

143.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$6.96 R$35.23

49.14%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.73 R$8.75

61.27%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.05 R$5.31

122.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.83 R$4.20

89.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.78 R$9.04

92.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.83 R$14.31

38.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.89 R$4.50

21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.48 R$7.49

19.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.18 R$5.97

44.92%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$1.75 R$8.88

80.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$5.56 R$28.13

146.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$2.99 R$15.12

167.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.28 R$36.84

113.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.87 R$9.46

22.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.62 R$8.21

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.37 R$6.93

41.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.65 R$8.37

52.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.19 R$6.05

50.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.75 R$3.78

168.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.61 R$3.06

222.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.64 R$3.22

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$1.77 R$8.98

283.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$6.84 R$34.62

-17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.36 R$6.86

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.08 R$10.55

45.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.88 R$4.43

157.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$20.95 R$106

116.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.06 R$5.34

304.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.58 R$2.94

46.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$3.33 R$16.84

448.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.03 R$5.24

93.20%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$13.9K R$70.4K

151.98%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$26.9K R$136.3K

46.94%

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

$146 €126

$52.2 R$264

180.31%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$11.65 R$59.0

75.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$20.77 R$105

87.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$18.91 R$95.7

159.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$14.49 R$73.4

29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$7.19 R$36.40

32.41%

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

$608 €524

$195 R$987

212.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$3,856 R$19.5K

328.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$50.4 R$255

105.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$56.2 R$284

-24.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$69.5 R$352

32.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$52.9 R$268

126.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$385 R$1,947

321.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$209 R$1,056

507.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$777 R$3,935

292.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$472 R$2,388

325.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,555 R$7,873

392.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,134 R$5,742

281.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$328 R$1,660

383.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

8.15

-53.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $385 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 383% 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 $26.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $161 per month, with Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 212% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lisbon pays 383% more on average, 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $385 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $725 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 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.

For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.