Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castel Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $2,434 in Castel, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $3,838 in Castel, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $5,242 in Castel, rent included.

Lisbon is about 5% cheaper than Castel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Castel sit above the global median – Lisbon by 69%, Castel by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$40.18 GGP 29.69

-56.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$81.3 GGP 60.1

-22.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$5.13 GGP 3.79

-37.82%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$3.46 GGP 2.56

-29.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$4.10 GGP 3.03

-57.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$4.49 GGP 3.32

-20.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$6.65 GGP 4.92

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$2.00 GGP 1.48

-38.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.33 GGP 1.72

-0.43%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

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

$41.4K €35.8K

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

$170 €147

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

$19.34 €16.69

$27.64 GGP 20.43

-30.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$67.0 GGP 49.54

-49.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

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

$717 €619

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$2,021 GGP 1,494

-17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$1,908 GGP 1,410

-33.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$4,107 GGP 3,035

-27.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$3,815 GGP 2,819

-47.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Castel: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $2,021 in Castel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $81.0 in Castel. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Castel – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Castel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $3,650 in Castel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1312% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $81.0 in Castel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,316 in Lisbon and $2,434 in Castel. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.