Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cotia

For one person, living is cheaper in Cotia: $868 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Cotia, Brazil
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Cotia
🇧🇷 Brazil
$868
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Cotia

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 Cotia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,206 per month in Lisbon vs $868 in Cotia, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,206
  • Cotia $868

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Lisbon vs $1,421 in Cotia, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,276
  • Cotia $1,421

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $1,974 in Cotia, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Cotia $1,974

Lisbon costs about 154% more than Cotia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 63% above the global median, while Cotia is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.04
$6.41 R$35.19
163.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0 €54.5
$37.71 R$207
61.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.98 €9.80
$8.32 R$45.65
31.97%
Cappuccino
$3.05 €2.72
$2.44 R$13.39
25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.32 R$7.25
72.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.50
$1.08 R$5.94
55.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$2.66 R$14.60
29.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 €3.48
$4.02 R$22.04
-2.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.12 R$6.12
2.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.75 R$9.62
8.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.15 R$6.32
30.43%
Eggs
$4.12 €3.67
$2.68 R$14.69
53.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 €11.60
$11.26 R$61.8
15.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.04 €7.18
$4.33 R$23.75
85.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.89 €15.96
$10.07 R$55.2
77.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.03
$2.53 R$13.91
-10.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.66 R$9.12
4.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.46 R$8.03
24.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.40
$1.76 R$9.65
52.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$1.34 R$7.33
32.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.21 R$6.63
60.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.84 R$4.61
73.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.69 R$3.79
10.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.94
$2.63 R$14.43
153.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €5.03
$8.28 R$45.46
-31.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.60 R$8.80
-19.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.31 R$12.70
-7.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 €2.05
$0.94 R$5.18
144.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.02 €39.26
$42.38 R$233
3.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.55
$1.21 R$6.62
228.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 €0.57
$0.89 R$4.90
-28.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.93 €16.88
$8.84 R$48.50
114.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.23 R$6.75
85.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €29.8K
$21.8K R$119.8K
52.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$31.7K R$174.0K
21.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 €141
$41.28 R$227
283.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.64
$13.58 R$74.5
29.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.18 €27.82
$16.86 R$92.6
84.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.64 €39.82
$24.35 R$134
83.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.98 €16.93
$25.53 R$140
-25.66%
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 €8.54
$7.35 R$40.32
30.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 €601
$401 R$2,203
67.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K €16.7K
$7,110 R$39.0K
163.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.2
$52.8 R$290
93.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.90 €40.94
$54.4 R$299
-15.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €91.2
$90.4 R$496
13.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 €109
$78.9 R$433
54.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 €1,463
$340 R$1,865
382.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 €1,059
$230 R$1,261
416.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 €2,519
$643 R$3,530
339.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 €1,800
$452 R$2,479
346.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,836 €6,989
$1,611 R$8,840
386.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,701 €4,193
$1,144 R$6,281
310.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Cotia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,687 €1,505
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
11.12
-65.65%

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

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cotia: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Cotia
$230 80.6% $957
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$275
Cotia
$214 22% $60
Eating Out
Lisbon
$245
Cotia
$136 44.4% $109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$207
Cotia
$72 65.3% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Cotia
$124 25.7% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Cotia
$39 38.8% $25
Getting Around
Lisbon
$60
Cotia
$52 14.2% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,641 in Lisbon versus $340 in Cotia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Lisbon versus $38 in Cotia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $214 – making Cotia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇷 Cotia
🕒 Local time
03:35 3:35 AM
00:35 12:35 AM
3 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
274,413
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Cotia 7,970 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Cotia

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 Cotia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Cotia?
Lisbon costs about 154% more than Cotia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisbon and in Cotia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,309 per month in Lisbon and $1,301 in Cotia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Cotia?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cotia, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $340 there versus $1,641 in Lisbon.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Cotia?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Lisbon and $38 in Cotia. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Lisbon compared to Cotia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,206 in Lisbon and $868 in Cotia. That makes Cotia about 61% cheaper.
Can you live on $800/month in Lisbon or in Cotia?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,206 in Lisbon and $868 in Cotia. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Cotia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Cotia is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 61% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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