Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Guimaraes

For one person, living is cheaper in Guimaraes: $1,606 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Guimaraes, Portugal
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Guimaraes
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,606
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Guimaraes

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

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,606 in Guimaraes, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Guimaraes $1,606

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,318 in Guimaraes, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Guimaraes $2,318

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $3,031 in Guimaraes, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Guimaraes $3,031

Lisbon costs about 38% more than Guimaraes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lisbon and Guimaraes sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Guimaraes by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$12.99 €11.64
28.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$49.60 €44.44
24.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$9.13 €8.19
24.42%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.88 €1.68
57.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.01 €1.80
13.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.35 €1.21
28.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$2.28 €2.05
49.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.76 €2.47
19.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.04 €0.94
11.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.72 €1.54
11.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.68 €1.51
-10.12%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.94 €2.64
36.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$12.48 €11.18
3.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$7.86 €7.05
-1.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$14.56 €13.04
21.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.06 €1.85
11.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.35 €1.21
28.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.82 €1.63
2.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.43 €2.18
6.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.97 €1.77
-7.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.02 €1.81
-2.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.53 €1.37
-3.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.00 €0.89
-28.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.66 €5.96
-1.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$4.45 €3.99
26.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.33 €1.19
2.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.17 €1.95
-1.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.55 €2.28
-8.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$32.09 €28.76
39.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$4.22 €3.78
-8.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.41 €1.27
-24.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$16.46 €14.75
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.16 €1.94
1.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$33.2K €29.8K
2.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$38.1K €34.1K
1.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$105 €93.7
54.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$17.00 €15.23
8.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$45.11 €40.42
-27.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$43.17 €38.69
3.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$22.26 €19.94
-14.20%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$8.65 €7.75
10.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$393 €352
70.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$6,486 €5,812
171.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$75.8 €67.9
34.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$38.54 €34.54
15.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$83.5 €74.8
17.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$103 €92.1
20.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$936 €839
71.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$753 €675
58.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,310 €1,174
114.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,073 €962
87.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$2,836 €2,542
176.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$2,207 €1,977
107.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Guimaraes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,434 €1,285
9.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.7
4.05%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Guimaraes: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Guimaraes
$753 36.7% $437
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Guimaraes
$252 7.3% $20
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Guimaraes
$184 24.1% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Guimaraes
$167 21.5% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Guimaraes
$135 18.5% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Guimaraes
$60 5.1% $3.3
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Guimaraes
$54 15.3% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $936 in Guimaraes. 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 10% 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 in Lisbon versus $50 in Guimaraes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $252 – making Guimaraes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇹 Guimaraes
🕒 Local time
03:46 3:46 AM
03:46 3:46 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
156,849
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Guimaraes 310 km
From you
  • Lisbon
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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 Guimaraes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Guimaraes?
Lisbon costs about 38% more than Guimaraes, 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 Guimaraes?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,409 in Guimaraes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lisbon or Guimaraes?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guimaraes, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $936 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Guimaraes?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $50 in Guimaraes. 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 Guimaraes?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,606 in Guimaraes. That makes Guimaraes about 27% cheaper.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Guimaraes?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guimaraes, where all-in costs run around $1,606, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Guimaraes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Guimaraes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Guimaraes?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Lisbon or to Guimaraes?
If budget matters most, go with Guimaraes. If higher salaries 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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