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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,702 in Castelo Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $2,303 in Castelo Branco.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 108% more expensive than in Castelo Branco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Castelo Branco is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$11.59 €10.14

39.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$40.01 €35.01

58.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$9.69 €8.47

6.50%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.38 €1.20

105.07%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.72 €1.51

33.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.12 €0.98

41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.43 €1.25

137.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$4.11 €3.60

-1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.06 €0.93

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.25 €1.10

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.66 €1.45

6.02%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.77 €2.42

14.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$9.24 €8.08

42.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.90 €4.29

62.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$8.48 €7.42

83.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.84 €1.61

28.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.35 €1.18

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.24 €1.08

62.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.54 €2.22

-4.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.01 €0.89

74.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.67 €1.46

21.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.24 €1.09

54.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.70 €0.61

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.64 €5.81

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$3.44 €3.01

62.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.83 €0.72

60.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.06 €0.93

180.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.17 €1.03

94.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$41.77 €36.54

9.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.30 €2.01

83.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.71 €0.62

14.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$17.38 €15.21

6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.98 €1.74

5.05%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$35.2K €30.8K

-1.47%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$39.5K €34.6K

-0.93%

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

$148 €130

$98.7 €86.3

50.05%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$21.98 €19.23

-6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$43.18 €37.78

-8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$42.51 €37.19

12.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$7.48 €6.54

23.26%

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

$616 €539

$627 €548

-1.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$16.0K €14.0K

2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$57.5 €50.3

78.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$67.3 €58.9

-38.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$72.6 €63.5

30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$57.6 €50.4

111.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$512 €448

219.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$383 €335

221.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$700 €613

342.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$648 €567

213.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$1,617 €1,414

384.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$1,380 €1,208

217.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$1,627 €1,424

-1.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.43

-29.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Castelo Branco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $512 in Castelo Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 1% 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 $267 vs $186 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 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $512 in Castelo Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $1,102 in Castelo Branco – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 10% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,102 in Castelo Branco versus $2,291 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 108% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.