Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castro Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $931 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,474 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,016 in Castro, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 144% more than Castro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Castro is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$8.30 CLP 7,815

111.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$47.78 CLP 45.0K

34.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$6.02 CLP 5,662

93.52%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.63 CLP 1,531

100.00%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.31 CLP 1,232

90.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.10 CLP 1,031

51.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.43 CLP 5,106

-36.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$7.38 CLP 6,941

-51.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.09 CLP 1,022

8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.86 CLP 3,628

-49.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.31 CLP 1,230

19.08%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.25 CLP 3,997

-5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$10.03 CLP 9,443

32.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.32 CLP 4,070

94.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$8.54 CLP 8,035

113.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.47 CLP 1,380

57.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.31 CLP 2,171

-25.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.63 CLP 1,538

18.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.09 CLP 1,965

26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.22 CLP 1,145

55.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.57 CLP 1,480

-8.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.64 CLP 1,540

-51.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.96 CLP 3,729

77.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$7.86 CLP 7,401

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.06 CLP 997

28.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.26 CLP 3,069

-34.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.74 CLP 700

221.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.40 CLP 1,321

60.71%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$15.8K CLP 14.9M

117.70%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$19.4K CLP 18.3M

114.24%

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

$171 €147

$137 CLP 129.0K

24.66%

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

$19.01 €16.38

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$31.49 CLP 29.6K

8.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$85.2 CLP 80.2K

19.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$376 CLP 353.8K

341.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$301 CLP 282.9K

308.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,054 CLP 991.6K

176.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$619 CLP 582.8K

226.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$643 CLP 605.1K

151.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-46.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Castro: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $376 in Castro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $48.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $244 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 144% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,396 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,268 in Lisbon and $931 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $931 versus $2,268 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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