Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Covilha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Covilha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,538 in Covilha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,017 in Covilha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,496 in Covilha, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 44% more than Covilha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Covilha sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Covilha by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.81

$9.22 €8.00

72.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$38.20 €33.14

69.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$6.87 €5.96

52.98%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$1.66 €1.44

72.89%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$1.70 €1.48

31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.14 €0.99

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$1.99 €1.73

75.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$1.48 €1.29

162.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.05 €0.91

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.02 €0.89

71.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.31 €1.13

34.35%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$3.07 €2.67

4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.71

$7.52 €6.52

79.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$7.32 €6.35

8.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$12.10 €10.50

31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.97 €1.71

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.42 €1.23

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.81 €1.57

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.62 €2.28

-6.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.02 €1.75

-8.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.86 €1.61

7.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.32 €1.15

46.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.83 €0.72

-4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$5.68 €4.93

16.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$3.15 €2.73

81.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.05 €0.91

30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$1.76 €1.52

68.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$2.11 €1.83

12.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

$41.32 €35.85

10.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$2.94 €2.55

45.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$17.32 €15.03

5.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.92 €1.67

7.29%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$40.7K €35.3K

-15.77%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

-0.07%

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

$148 €128

$113 €98.0

30.86%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$19.60 €17.01

4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$39.92 €34.63

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$43.25 €37.52

10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

$11.51 €9.99

64.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$8.03 €6.96

14.32%

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

$614 €533

$85.5 €74.2

617.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$5,844 €5,070

174.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$97.8 €84.8

7.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$21.02 €18.24

100.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$114 €99.1

-17.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$72.8 €63.2

64.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$517 €448

214.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$734 €637

70.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$990 €859

205.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$807 €700

150.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

$3,237 €2,809

140.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

$2,306 €2,001

85.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

$842 €730

90.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.39

-13.21%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Covilha: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $517 in Covilha. 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 91% 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 $38.00 in Covilha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $213 – making Covilha 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 Covilha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 44%, 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 $2,307 in Covilha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $38.00 in Covilha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Covilha, where all-in costs run around $1,538, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Covilha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Covilha – 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 Covilha. 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.