Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guarulhos

For one person, living is cheaper in Guarulhos: $964 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Guarulhos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$964
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Guarulhos

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

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lisbon vs $964 in Guarulhos, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Guarulhos $964

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Lisbon vs $1,764 in Guarulhos, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Guarulhos $1,764

A family of three spends $4,346 per month in Lisbon vs $2,565 in Guarulhos, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Guarulhos $2,565

Lisbon costs about 128% more than Guarulhos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lisbon sits 62% above the global median, while Guarulhos is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$8.69 R$44.06
96.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$40.01 R$203
55.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$9.00 R$45.61
22.44%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$2.46 R$12.50
26.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$1.35 R$6.82
68.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$0.86 R$4.37
102.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.44 R$12.39
40.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$3.88 R$19.65
-3.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.05 R$5.32
11.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.88 R$9.52
-1.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.33 R$6.76
15.79%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$2.46 R$12.47
65.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$12.61 R$63.9
2.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$4.79 R$24.27
64.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$10.70 R$54.3
64.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.38 R$12.07
-5.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.72 R$8.71
1.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.53 R$7.74
23.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$1.53 R$7.76
67.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.26 R$6.40
46.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.18 R$6.00
66.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$0.98 R$4.97
47.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.85 R$4.32
-9.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$2.49 R$12.65
169.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$9.88 R$50.1
-42.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.50 R$7.62
-8.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$2.49 R$12.64
-15.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.24 R$6.30
87.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$105 R$532
-57.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$1.17 R$5.94
237.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.72 R$3.64
45.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$8.49 R$43.03
102.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.28 R$6.50
71.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$23.6K R$119.5K
43.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$34.2K R$173.5K
11.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$91.6 R$465
78.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$14.98 R$75.9
23.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$22.33 R$113
47.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$28.22 R$143
62.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$10.05 R$50.9
-2.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$429 R$2,173
59.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$11.0K R$56.0K
59.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$65.1 R$330
59.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$57.1 R$289
-19.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$92.2 R$467
8.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$79.5 R$403
56.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$349 R$1,770
355.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$158 R$801
640.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$995 R$5,042
186.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$768 R$3,895
159.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$1,944 R$9,855
300.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$1,480 R$7,502
198.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Guarulhos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$378 R$1,914
323.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
11.25
-65.78%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Guarulhos: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Guarulhos
$158 86.5% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Guarulhos
$227 16.9% $46
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Guarulhos
$155 37.4% $93
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Guarulhos
$129 40.1% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Guarulhos
$132 21.5% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Guarulhos
$48 26.1% $17
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Guarulhos
$115 82.3% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Lisbon versus $349 in Guarulhos. 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 324% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $40.00 in Guarulhos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $227 – making Guarulhos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇷 Guarulhos
🕒 Local time
17:57 5:57 PM
13:57 1:57 PM
4 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
1,291,771
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Guarulhos 7,930 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Guarulhos

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 Guarulhos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Guarulhos?
Lisbon costs about 128% more than Guarulhos, 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 Guarulhos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Lisbon and $1,446 in Guarulhos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Guarulhos?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guarulhos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Guarulhos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Lisbon and $40.00 in Guarulhos. 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 Guarulhos?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,202 in Lisbon and $964 in Guarulhos. That's a gap of about 128%.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lisbon or in Guarulhos?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guarulhos, where all-in costs run around $964, than in Lisbon at $2,202. In Guarulhos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Guarulhos?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guarulhos costs $964 versus $2,202 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Guarulhos?
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.
Should I move to Lisbon or to Guarulhos?
If budget matters most, go with Guarulhos. 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.

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