Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Madeira Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Madeira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,633 in Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $2,344 in Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $3,055 in Madeira.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 39% more expensive than in Madeira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Madeira 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$11.53 €9.94

52.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$46.11 €39.74

39.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.37 €8.08

24.33%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.06 €1.78

58.25%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.94 €1.68

28.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.36 €1.17

22.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$2.33 €2.01

48.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.39 €2.92

5.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.11 €0.96

6.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.52 €1.31

28.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.66 €1.43

-6.02%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.08 €2.66

30.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$11.42 €9.85

16.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.70 €6.64

9.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$13.99 €12.06

30.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.37 €2.04

-2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.44 €1.24

20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.83 €1.58

5.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.48 €2.14

6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.46 €1.26

30.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.84 €1.59

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.59 €1.37

-9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.78 €0.68

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$6.21 €5.36

12.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$5.16 €4.45

14.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.25 €1.07

8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.29 €1.97

-6.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.36 €2.03

0.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$42.88 €36.97

7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.28 €3.69

-2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.82 €0.71

34.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$17.54 €15.12

-1.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.93 €1.66

16.58%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$34.7K €29.9K

-0.71%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$40.0K €34.5K

4.01%

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

$171 €147

$132 €114

29.01%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$21.18 €18.25

-10.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$42.41 €36.56

-19.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$43.51 €37.50

14.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$8.60 €7.41

17.44%

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

$699 €603

$468 €403

49.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$8,477 €7,308

109.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$73.6 €63.4

42.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$37.95 €32.71

26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$93.4 €80.5

9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$93.4 €80.5

37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$933 €804

78.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$743 €641

65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,454 €1,253

100.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,136 €980

78.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$3,069 €2,646

164.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,337 €2,015

98.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.01

-24.55%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Madeira: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $933 in Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $46.00 in Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $245 per month, with Madeira 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 Madeira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Madeira differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,633 including rent). Madeira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,402 in Lisbon and $2,449 in Madeira to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $933 in Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $468 in Madeira. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,633 in Madeira versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Madeira but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Madeira 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 Madeira 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 Madeira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.