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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,025 in Minas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,637 in Minas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,248 in Minas.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 116% more expensive than Minas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Minas is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.81

$16.09 UYU 648

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$54.7 UYU 2,201

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$12.17 UYU 490

-13.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$4.11 UYU 165

-30.17%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$2.20 UYU 88.4

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.75 UYU 70.5

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$4.28 UYU 172

-18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$3.62 UYU 146

7.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.25 UYU 50.1

-8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.85 UYU 115

-38.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.59 UYU 64.2

10.69%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$4.81 UYU 193

-33.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.71

$13.58 UYU 547

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$10.97 UYU 442

-27.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$11.19 UYU 450

41.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$3.07 UYU 124

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.37 UYU 95.6

-28.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.57 UYU 63.3

28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$3.66 UYU 148

-32.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.09 UYU 84.1

-11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.90 UYU 76.4

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.33 UYU 53.5

45.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.72 UYU 69.3

-54.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$5.23 UYU 211

26.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$9.96 UYU 401

-42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.30 UYU 92.6

-40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$2.94 UYU 118

1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$1.55 UYU 62.6

176.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$3.46 UYU 139

-76.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$12.36 UYU 498

48.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.82 UYU 73.4

13.19%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-1.48%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

7.01%

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

$148 €128

$169 UYU 6,820

-12.72%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$16.49 UYU 664

24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$49.76 UYU 2,003

-20.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$10.56 UYU 425

-13.07%

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

$614 €533

$487 UYU 19.6K

26.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$9,082 UYU 365.6K

76.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$92.8 UYU 3,734

12.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$47.58 UYU 1,915

-11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$116 UYU 4,668

-18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$121 UYU 4,876

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Minas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $55.0 in Minas. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $323, 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 116% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,025 including rent). Minas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,538 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 $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,025 in Minas – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,025 in Minas versus $2,210 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 116% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.