Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castelo Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castelo Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,155 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,754 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,354 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 101% more expensive than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Castelo Branco is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$11.46 €9.85

50.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$40.39 €34.73

56.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$9.86 €8.47

15.52%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$1.34 €1.15

138.06%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.41 €1.22

73.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.27 €1.09

38.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.13 €0.97

217.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.36 €2.03

43.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.22 €1.05

1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.33 €1.14

48.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.50 €1.29

1.33%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$4.05 €3.49

-0.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$9.52 €8.18

42.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$6.05 €5.20

38.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$9.00 €7.74

102.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.19 €1.89

4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.33 €1.14

30.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.85 €1.59

0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.42 €2.08

8.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.73 €1.48

10.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.56 €1.34

33.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.23 €1.06

17.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.81 €0.70

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$6.08 €5.23

11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$3.46 €2.98

65.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.21 €1.04

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.01 €1.73

10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.32 €1.13

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$23.05 €19.81

102.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$2.39 €2.05

74.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.83 €0.72

37.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$17.52 €15.06

0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.19 €1.88

5.94%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$34.8K €30.0K

1.42%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$42.4K €36.4K

-2.25%

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

$170 €146

$125 €107

36.61%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$19.42 €16.70

-0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$34.33 €29.51

-2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$39.88 €34.28

20.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$7.17 €6.17

38.35%

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

$717 €617

$705 €606

1.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$17.7K €15.3K

-1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$81.2 €69.8

28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$85.2 €73.2

21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$69.2 €59.5

79.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$477 €410

251.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$384 €330

231.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$848 €729

251.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$648 €557

207.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,643 €1,412

376.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,410 €1,213

230.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$1,695 €1,457

-6.63%

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 Castelo Branco: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $477 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $40.00 in Castelo Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $212 per month, with Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castelo Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Castelo Branco. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $477 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $1,155 in Castelo Branco – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 103% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,155 in Castelo Branco versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Castelo Branco but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Castelo Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.