Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Faro Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Faro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,263 per month in Lisbon vs $1,796 in Faro, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $2,727 in Faro, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Lisbon vs $3,659 in Faro, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 26% more than Faro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Faro sit above the global median – Lisbon by 68%, Faro by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$14.07 €12.12

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$45.84 €39.50

38.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$9.24 €7.96

12.34%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$2.09 €1.80

33.49%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$2.42 €2.09

-3.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.55 €1.34

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.87 €2.47

19.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$2.83 €2.44

38.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.23 €1.06

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.48 €1.28

19.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.16 €1.86

-20.83%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.94 €2.53

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$14.36 €12.37

-4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$6.41 €5.53

24.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.71 €11.81

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.47 €2.13

-7.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.35 €1.16

21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.47 €1.26

31.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.33 €2.01

7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.51 €1.30

18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.18 €1.87

-7.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.96 €0.83

105.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.12 €0.96

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$6.40 €5.51

6.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$5.24 €4.51

8.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.28 €1.10

8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.99 €2.58

1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$3.51 €3.02

-35.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$41.96 €36.16

8.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$3.76 €3.24

14.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.02 €0.88

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$22.07 €19.02

-17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.92 €1.65

3.65%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$34.9K €30.1K

0.27%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$39.2K €33.8K

0.89%

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

$146 €126

$141 €121

3.84%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$20.21 €17.41

1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$42.45 €36.58

-8.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$44.48 €38.33

10.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$20.47 €17.64

-8.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$11.77 €10.14

-19.12%

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

$608 €524

$475 €409

28.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$12.5K €10.8K

31.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$74.7 €64.4

39.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$38.89 €33.50

8.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$107 €92.6

-14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$106 €91.2

13.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$1,140 €982

42.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$813 €701

55.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$1,900 €1,637

60.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$1,568 €1,351

28.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$4,910 €4,231

56.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$3,768 €3,247

14.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$1,347 €1,161

17.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.24

-27.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Faro: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Lisbon versus $1,140 in Faro. 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 18% 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 $46.00 in Faro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $251 – making Faro 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 Faro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 26%, 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 $3,394 per month in Lisbon and $2,693 in Faro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $608 per month in Lisbon and $475 in Faro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Faro, where all-in costs run around $1,796, than in Lisbon at $2,263. In Faro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Faro – 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 Faro. 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.