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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,900 in Funchal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,767 in Funchal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,634 in Funchal.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 16% more expensive than Funchal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Funchal 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$11.80 €10.16

34.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$56.9 €49.00

13.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.99 €7.74

16.91%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.75 €1.51

64.00%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.76 €1.52

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.53 €1.32

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$3.54 €3.05

-1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.08 €3.52

-4.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.11 €0.96

2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.89 €1.63

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.69 €1.46

4.14%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.99 €3.44

-19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$10.61 €9.14

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.26 €6.25

8.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$11.50 €9.90

38.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.87 €1.61

23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.81 €1.56

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.71 €1.47

17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.48 €2.14

-0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.05 €1.76

-10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.90 €1.63

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.76 €1.51

9.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.78 €0.67

1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$5.77 €4.97

14.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$7.05 €6.07

-18.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.50 €1.29

-8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.12 €2.69

-4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.29 €1.97

3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$35.15 €30.27

29.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.04 €3.48

6.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.31 €1.13

-37.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$19.42 €16.72

-5.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.92 €1.65

7.29%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$34.7K €29.9K

-1.26%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.6K €34.1K

-0.83%

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

$148 €127

$120 €104

22.97%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$19.87 €17.11

3.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

$47.02 €40.49

-15.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

$44.85 €38.62

6.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$8.58 €7.38

120.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$8.95 €7.71

2.57%

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

$614 €529

$442 €381

38.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,396 €5,508

150.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$65.2 €56.1

60.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

$34.34 €29.57

22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$82.2 €70.8

14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$75.8 €65.3

57.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

$1,393 €1,199

16.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,056 €909

18.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$2,471 €2,128

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$1,750 €1,507

15.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

$4,978 €4,287

56.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

$3,425 €2,949

24.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

$1,358 €1,169

18.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.27

-27.70%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Funchal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $1,393 in Funchal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 18% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $57.0 in Funchal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $249 per month, with Funchal cheaper across the board.

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 16% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,900 including rent). Funchal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 18% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,393 in Funchal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,900 in Funchal – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Funchal runs roughly 30% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,900 in Funchal versus $2,210 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 16% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.