Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Contagem Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Contagem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $692 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,093 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,495 in Contagem, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 219% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Contagem is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$4.37 R$21.86

264.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$18.32 R$91.7

253.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$5.69 R$28.48

84.71%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.27 R$6.37

125.98%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.93 R$4.66

140.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.47 R$2.35

219.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.14 R$5.73

206.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.26 R$11.33

71.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.93 R$4.65

22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.53 R$7.64

14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.56 R$7.80

12.82%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.61 R$8.07

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$7.90 R$39.54

70.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.21 R$16.06

146.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$5.11 R$25.58

210.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 R$9.26

24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.34 R$6.69

26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.88 R$4.42

128.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.36 R$6.79

80.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.02 R$5.10

80.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.81 R$4.03

146.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.69 R$3.46

179.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.63 R$3.16

25.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.13 R$10.64

210.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.96 R$29.84

-4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.03 R$5.15

33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.22 R$11.09

33.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.34 R$6.69

76.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$72.3 R$362

-37.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$0.93 R$4.65

361.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.97 R$4.87

-15.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$7.94 R$39.76

130.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.03 R$5.14

100.00%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$25.0K R$125.3K

36.96%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$29.1K R$145.7K

34.98%

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

$148 €127

$64.2 R$321

130.40%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$14.08 R$70.5

45.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$16.13 R$80.7

145.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$24.20 R$121

97.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$21.68 R$109

-12.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.39 R$31.99

43.66%

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

$614 €528

$134 R$669

358.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,853 R$34.3K

134.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$51.8 R$259

101.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$37.65 R$188

11.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$73.3 R$367

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$63.8 R$319

87.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$203 R$1,016

701.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$118 R$590

965.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$436 R$2,184

594.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$266 R$1,330

659.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,949 R$9,753

300.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,002 R$5,012

326.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$256 R$1,279

527.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.83

-64.82%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Contagem: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $203 in Contagem. 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 527% 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 $18.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $156 – making Contagem 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 Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 219%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,038 in Contagem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 59% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $134 in Contagem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $692, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Contagem. 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.