Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chaves Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chaves

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $1,111 in Chaves, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,677 in Chaves, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $2,242 in Chaves, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 108% more than Chaves, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Chaves is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$8.08 €6.95

114.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$22.81 €19.63

177.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$8.23 €7.09

38.40%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.59 €1.37

100.63%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.52 €1.31

61.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.61 €0.52

188.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.26 €1.95

58.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.78 €2.39

21.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.02 €0.87

21.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.19 €1.03

66.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.18 €1.01

28.81%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$3.18 €2.73

27.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$6.45 €5.55

109.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$6.96 €5.99

20.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$10.96 €9.43

66.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.13 €0.97

102.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.13 €0.97

53.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.17 €1.01

58.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.18 €1.02

122.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.10 €1.80

-8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.19 €1.03

75.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.90 €0.77

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$5.95 €5.12

13.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$4.10 €3.53

39.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.13 €0.98

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.17 €1.01

89.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.89 €0.77

169.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$29.07 €25.01

60.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$4.18 €3.59

-0.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.68 €0.59

67.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$20.41 €17.56

-13.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.09 €1.80

11.00%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$34.7K €29.8K

1.96%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$39.6K €34.1K

4.65%

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

$170 €147

$138 €119

23.06%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$18.35 €15.79

5.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$33.35 €28.70

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$26.66 €22.94

80.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$5.76 €4.95

245.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$7.76 €6.68

27.84%

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

$717 €617

$237 €204

202.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$3,777 €3,250

362.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$73.1 €62.9

43.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$22.98 €19.77

104.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$66.9 €57.6

54.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$94.3 €81.1

31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$505 €435

231.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$387 €333

228.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$986 €848

202.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$772 €664

158.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$1,947 €1,675

301.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$1,491 €1,283

212.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$1,044 €898

51.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

26.33%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chaves: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $505 in Chaves. 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 52% 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 $23.00 in Chaves. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $191 – making Chaves 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 Chaves: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 108% more than Chaves, 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 $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,667 in Chaves. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 61% less in Chaves. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $237 in Chaves. 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 Chaves, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Chaves it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chaves costs $1,111 versus $2,316 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 Chaves. 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.