Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Castro

For one person, living is cheaper in Castro: $858 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lisbon
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Lisbon Living Index

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Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

$2,210

/mo nomad

Castro

🇨🇱 Chile

$858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Castro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Castro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $858 in Castro, rent included.

Lisbon $2,210
Castro $858

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $1,360 in Castro, rent included.

Lisbon $3,275
Castro $1,360

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $1,862 in Castro, rent included.

Lisbon $4,341
Castro $1,862

Lisbon costs about 158% more than Castro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Castro is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.65 €14.96

$8.02 CLP 7,886

107.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 €55.5

$44.65 CLP 43.9K

38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €10.20

$5.70 CLP 5,603

99.30%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.67

$1.54 CLP 1,517

92.86%

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

$2.29 €2.06

$1.19 CLP 1,172

92.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.56

$1.03 CLP 1,012

68.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €3.06

$5.18 CLP 5,100

-34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.97

$7.13 CLP 7,011

-53.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.04

$1.06 CLP 1,047

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.72

$3.52 CLP 3,459

-45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 €1.36

$1.27 CLP 1,253

18.90%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.61

$4.21 CLP 4,141

-4.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 €11.62

$9.85 CLP 9,694

31.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 €6.99

$4.01 CLP 3,949

93.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 €15.96

$8.37 CLP 8,235

112.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.07

$1.38 CLP 1,354

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.56

$2.15 CLP 2,119

-19.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.67

$1.49 CLP 1,462

24.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.33

$1.88 CLP 1,849

37.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.64

$1.17 CLP 1,147

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.32

$1.56 CLP 1,531

-5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 €0.65

$1.47 CLP 1,451

-51.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.92

$3.56 CLP 3,503

84.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.61 €5.04

$7.63 CLP 7,502

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.22

$1.03 CLP 1,009

32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.92

$3.00 CLP 2,949

-28.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.10

$0.71 CLP 702

228.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.68 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 €3.46

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.46 €14.79

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.98

$1.29 CLP 1,270

70.54%

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

$34.2K €30.7K

$15.3K CLP 15.0M

124.17%

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

$38.7K €34.8K

$17.9K CLP 17.6M

116.13%

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

$161 €145

$130 CLP 127.9K

24.03%

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

$18.41 €16.54

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.74 €29.41

$29.80 CLP 29.3K

9.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €40.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.62

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

$668 €600

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K €15.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €91.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 €39.95

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €88.5

$79.4 CLP 78.1K

24.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 €1,445

$351 CLP 345.1K

358.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 €1,069

$279 CLP 274.5K

326.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 €2,527

$1,012 CLP 995.2K

177.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,809

$570 CLP 560.3K

253.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,839 €7,043

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,576 €4,111

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,575 €1,415

$600 CLP 590.0K

162.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

-45.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Castro: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lisbon

$1.2K 53.8%

Castro

–

Groceries & Markets

Lisbon

$272 12.3%

Castro

–

Eating Out

Lisbon

$243 11%

Castro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lisbon

$212 9.6%

Castro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lisbon

$166 7.5%

Castro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lisbon

$64 2.9%

Castro

–

Getting Around

Lisbon

$63 2.9%

Castro

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $351 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 in Lisbon are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon versus $45 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $231 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇹 Lisbon

🇨🇱 Castro

🕒 Local time

17:38 5:38 PM

14:38 2:38 PM

3 h behind Lisbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,923 Capital

33,417

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

10,000 CLP = 10.17 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.13 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇺 Euro (€)

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,095 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.13 EUR).

USD to EUR in detail →

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Between locations

Lisbon Castro 11,130 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Lisbon
Castro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 158% more than Castro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $1,286 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $351 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $858 in Castro. That’s a gap of about 158%.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,210 in Lisbon and $858 in Castro. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $858 in Castro to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.