Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Coimbra Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Coimbra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,623 in Coimbra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,423 in Coimbra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $3,223 in Coimbra.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 43% more expensive than in Coimbra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Coimbra 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$13.89 €11.99

24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$48.68 €42.01

29.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$10.53 €9.09

8.17%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.08 €1.79

53.37%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$2.05 €1.77

19.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.58 €1.36

11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$2.30 €1.98

56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$3.39 €2.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.11 €0.95

11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.55 €1.34

27.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.75 €1.51

-13.14%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$3.54 €3.05

14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$12.00 €10.36

12.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$7.70 €6.65

8.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$15.08 €13.01

21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.42 €2.09

-5.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.62 €1.40

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.97 €1.70

-5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.29 €2.84

-20.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.62 €1.40

18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.04 €1.76

2.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.61 €1.39

-10.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.73 €0.63

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$6.54 €5.64

3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$6.20 €5.35

-7.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.37 €1.18

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.26 €1.95

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.05 €1.77

17.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$34.24 €29.55

36.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$4.56 €3.93

-8.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.46 €1.26

-21.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$14.27 €12.32

23.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.17 €1.88

6.91%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$34.7K €30.0K

1.75%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$39.5K €34.1K

4.96%

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

$170 €147

$137 €118

24.59%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$22.90 €19.76

-15.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$34.43 €29.71

-2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$45.42 €39.20

5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$12.00 €10.36

65.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$8.54 €7.37

16.16%

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

$717 €619

$740 €639

-3.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$11.1K €9,586

57.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$102 €87.9

2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$38.07 €32.85

23.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$94.0 €81.1

10.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$910 €785

84.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$662 €571

91.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$1,569 €1,354

90.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$1,069 €922

86.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$2,860 €2,468

173.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$1,268 €1,094

267.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$1,348 €1,163

17.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.83

-1.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Coimbra: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $910 in Coimbra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $49.00 in Coimbra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $262 per month, with Coimbra cheaper across the board.

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 Coimbra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coimbra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $910 in Coimbra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Coimbra runs roughly 37% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $740 in Coimbra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,623 in Coimbra versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Coimbra but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Coimbra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Coimbra is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Coimbra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Coimbra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.