Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Minas Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Minas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $1,047 in Minas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,633 in Minas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $2,219 in Minas.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 114% more expensive than Minas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Minas is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$15.91 UYU 633

-1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$55.2 UYU 2,198

14.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$12.14 UYU 483

-14.99%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$4.14 UYU 165

-32.13%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$2.23 UYU 88.7

4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.78 UYU 70.6

-15.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$4.48 UYU 178

-24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$3.76 UYU 150

3.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.26 UYU 50.3

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.89 UYU 115

-39.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.64 UYU 65.3

6.71%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$4.81 UYU 191

-35.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$13.41 UYU 534

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$10.92 UYU 435

-28.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$11.14 UYU 443

44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$3.04 UYU 121

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.38 UYU 94.8

-27.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.51 UYU 60.0

30.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$3.72 UYU 148

-31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.11 UYU 83.8

-15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.89 UYU 75.3

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.31 UYU 51.9

49.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$1.74 UYU 69.4

-51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$5.29 UYU 210

28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$10.17 UYU 405

-42.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.27 UYU 90.5

-39.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.91 UYU 116

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$1.54 UYU 61.3

167.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$3.48 UYU 138

-76.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$12.08 UYU 481

56.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.88 UYU 74.8

11.17%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$34.9K UYU 1.4M

0.63%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

10.38%

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

$150 €128

$170 UYU 6,778

-12.21%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$16.70 UYU 664

22.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$49.91 UYU 1,986

-21.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$10.47 UYU 417

-12.13%

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

$624 €533

$490 UYU 19.5K

27.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$8,916 UYU 354.8K

78.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$93.4 UYU 3,716

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$46.65 UYU 1,856

-12.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$116 UYU 4,608

-17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$125 UYU 4,961

-2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.68

-32.92%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Minas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $0 in Minas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63 in Lisbon vs $55 in Minas. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $324, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Minas differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $1,047 including rent). Minas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,365 in Lisbon and $1,571 in Minas 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,243 per month in Lisbon versus $1,047 in Minas – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,047 in Minas versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Minas but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Minas 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 Minas 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 Minas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.