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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,075 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,630 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $2,184 in Castro, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 113% more than Castro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Castro is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$8.77 CLP 8,162

84.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$44.44 CLP 41.4K

42.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$8.03 CLP 7,480

28.52%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.84 CLP 2,648

-0.35%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.30 CLP 1,212

76.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.06 CLP 989

49.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.16 CLP 2,945

7.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$4.14 CLP 3,854

-2.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.13 CLP 1,050

-3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.48 CLP 1,375

18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.38 CLP 1,281

27.54%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$4.44 CLP 4,131

-28.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$10.17 CLP 9,469

29.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.33 CLP 4,031

84.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$8.89 CLP 8,275

74.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.43 CLP 1,336

65.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.33 CLP 2,167

-26.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.58 CLP 1,472

27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.10 CLP 1,953

15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.23 CLP 1,145

43.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.36 CLP 1,264

49.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.21 CLP 1,129

58.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.22 CLP 1,135

-30.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.28 CLP 4,920

24.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$7.92 CLP 7,371

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.55 CLP 1,439

-14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.21 CLP 2,054

34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.75 CLP 700

204.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.48 CLP 447

781.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.36 CLP 1,269

52.94%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

76.89%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

80.71%

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

$148 €130

$129 CLP 120.5K

14.44%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

52.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$21.73 CLP 20.2K

82.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$39.23 CLP 36.5K

22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

$21.09 CLP 19.6K

-11.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$5.49 CLP 5,116

67.94%

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

$616 €539

$433 CLP 403.4K

42.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$51.1 CLP 47.6K

100.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$30.65 CLP 28.5K

36.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$61.7 CLP 57.5K

53.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$82.8 CLP 77.1K

47.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$474 CLP 441.2K

244.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$369 CLP 343.4K

234.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$882 CLP 821.3K

251.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$623 CLP 580.4K

225.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$636 CLP 592.5K

152.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.18

-26.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Castro: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $474 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 153% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $44.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $220 – 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 113% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,613 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $1,075 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $433 in Castro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,075, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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 $1,075 versus $2,291 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.