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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,078 in Castro, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,662 in Castro, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,246 in Castro, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 105% more than Castro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Castro is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$8.44 CLP 7,487

88.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$45.13 CLP 40.1K

43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$8.22 CLP 7,293

27.86%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.80 CLP 2,485

2.50%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.36 CLP 1,211

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.06 CLP 938

41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.32 CLP 2,942

5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.19 CLP 3,719

-7.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.09 CLP 971

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.51 CLP 1,343

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.38 CLP 1,227

27.54%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.32 CLP 3,832

-25.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.05 CLP 8,918

34.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.33 CLP 3,846

82.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$8.78 CLP 7,791

80.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.48 CLP 1,316

56.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.43 CLP 2,157

-30.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.59 CLP 1,408

26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.11 CLP 1,873

16.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.20 CLP 1,064

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.42 CLP 1,258

40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.28 CLP 1,133

50.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.23 CLP 1,094

-35.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$5.37 CLP 4,764

23.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$8.45 CLP 7,497

-32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.54 CLP 1,365

-11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.23 CLP 1,979

33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.76 CLP 676

211.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.48 CLP 422

793.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.38 CLP 1,221

49.28%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$19.3K CLP 17.1M

77.69%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$21.0K CLP 18.7M

86.89%

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

$148 €127

$131 CLP 116.4K

12.77%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$13.36 CLP 11.9K

53.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$22.24 CLP 19.7K

78.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$38.17 CLP 33.9K

25.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$21.55 CLP 19.1K

-12.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$5.77 CLP 5,121

59.10%

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

$614 €528

$443 CLP 392.9K

38.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$51.6 CLP 45.8K

103.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$30.17 CLP 26.8K

39.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$62.4 CLP 55.4K

50.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$82.2 CLP 73.0K

45.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$474 CLP 420.8K

243.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$366 CLP 324.7K

243.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$885 CLP 785.2K

242.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$630 CLP 559.0K

220.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$685 CLP 607.9K

134.10%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Castro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 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 134% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $45.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $221 – 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 105% 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,617 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,078 in Castro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $443 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 $1,078, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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 $1,078 versus $2,210 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.