Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Funchal Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Funchal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,195 in Funchal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $3,193 in Funchal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $4,190 in Funchal.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 6% more expensive than in Funchal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Funchal 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$15.73 €13.58

9.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$67.1 €57.9

-5.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$13.76 €11.88

-17.22%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.03 €1.75

57.14%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$1.77 €1.52

38.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.45 €1.25

21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$2.96 €2.56

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$4.00 €3.45

-15.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.09 €0.94

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.82 €1.57

8.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.74 €1.50

-12.64%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$4.06 €3.50

-0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$10.50 €9.06

28.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$7.84 €6.76

7.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$12.39 €10.70

47.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.81 €1.56

26.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.79 €1.54

-2.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.85 €1.59

0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.61 €2.26

0.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.99 €1.71

-3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.08 €1.79

0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.69 €1.46

-14.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.83 €0.72

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$5.67 €4.89

19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$7.09 €6.12

-19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.32 €1.13

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.60 €2.24

-14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.29 €1.98

4.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$35.46 €30.60

31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$4.05 €3.49

2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.46 €1.26

-21.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$19.43 €16.76

-9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$2.07 €1.79

12.08%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$34.5K €29.8K

2.33%

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

$41.4K €35.8K

$38.9K €33.5K

6.64%

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

$170 €147

$128 €110

33.36%

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

$19.34 €16.69

$17.67 €15.25

9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$49.91 €43.07

-32.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$42.24 €36.45

13.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$8.55 €7.38

132.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$9.20 €7.94

7.83%

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

$717 €619

$431 €372

66.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$8,907 €7,686

96.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$63.8 €55.1

64.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$35.11 €30.30

33.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$91.3 €78.8

13.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$78.8 €68.0

57.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$1,536 €1,325

9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$1,269 €1,095

0.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$2,562 €2,211

16.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$2,071 €1,787

-3.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$4,884 €4,215

60.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$3,454 €2,981

34.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$1,461 €1,260

8.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.59

5.57%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Funchal: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $1,536 in Funchal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 8% 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 $67.0 in Funchal. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $253, with Funchal cheaper for home cooking.

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 Funchal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Funchal differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $2,195 including rent). Funchal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $1,536 in Funchal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $2,195 in Funchal – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Funchal runs roughly 32% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,195 in Funchal versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Funchal but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Funchal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Funchal 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 Funchal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.