Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Horta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Horta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,306 in Horta, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,196 in Horta, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $3,086 in Horta, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 69% more than Horta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Horta is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$9.17 €7.90

73.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$34.49 €29.69

87.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$7.00 €6.02

50.14%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.70 €1.47

68.82%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.91 €1.65

17.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.37 €1.18

9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.36 €1.17

156.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.40 €2.93

14.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.97 €0.84

17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.81 €1.56

-3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.80 €1.55

-2.22%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.06 €2.64

5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$8.99 €7.74

50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$11.58 €9.97

-31.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$17.15 €14.77

-7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.53 €2.18

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.81 €1.56

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.14 €1.84

-6.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.30 €2.84

-25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.60 €1.38

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.69 €1.45

18.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.97 €2.55

-35.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.06 €0.91

-25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$4.69 €4.04

40.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$5.18 €4.46

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.14 €1.84

-35.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$3.29 €2.83

-9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.28 €1.96

3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$42.24 €36.36

7.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$5.65 €4.87

-24.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.86 €0.74

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$5.72 €4.92

219.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.86 €1.60

10.75%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$28.8K €24.8K

18.99%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$41.4K €35.6K

-5.00%

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

$148 €127

$145 €125

1.97%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$19.12 €16.46

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$30.93 €26.63

28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$43.18 €37.17

10.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$5.86 €5.05

56.66%

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

$614 €529

$288 €248

112.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,827 €5,878

135.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$48.95 €42.15

113.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$34.36 €29.58

22.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$57.9 €49.87

62.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$137 €118

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$501 €432

224.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$403 €347

211.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$713 €614

324.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$1,173 €1,010

72.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$2,952 €2,541

164.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$2,095 €1,804

103.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$923 €795

73.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.02

-5.22%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Horta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $501 in Horta. 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 74% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $34.00 in Horta. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Lisbon vs $292 in Horta – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Horta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon, $1,306 in Horta – roughly 69% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,960 in Horta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 8% less in Horta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $288 in Horta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Horta, where all-in costs run around $1,306, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Horta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,306 in Horta to $2,210 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Horta. 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.