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 $1,011 in Minas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,289 in Lisbon versus $1,616 in Minas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Lisbon versus $2,221 in Minas.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 119% more expensive than in Minas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Minas is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.71 €13.81

$16.45 UYU 660

-4.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €55.3

$55.5 UYU 2,228

13.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 €9.26

$12.30 UYU 494

-14.39%

Cappuccino

$2.88 €2.54

$4.06 UYU 163

-29.06%

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

$2.25 €1.98

$2.23 UYU 89.7

0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$1.76 UYU 70.8

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 €2.98

$4.34 UYU 174

-21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.43

$3.57 UYU 143

9.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$1.21 UYU 48.43

-10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.52

$2.87 UYU 115

-39.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.55

$1.59 UYU 63.7

10.69%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.78

$4.62 UYU 185

-31.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.68

$13.68 UYU 549

-2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 €6.92

$10.82 UYU 434

-27.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 €13.92

$11.10 UYU 446

42.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 €2.11

$2.99 UYU 120

-19.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.50

$2.36 UYU 94.9

-27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.56 UYU 62.6

30.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$3.72 UYU 149

-32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.63

$2.17 UYU 87.0

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.88 UYU 75.6

9.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.30 UYU 52.3

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.69

$1.68 UYU 67.2

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.84

$5.29 UYU 212

25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €5.08

$8.81 UYU 354

-34.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.22

$2.26 UYU 90.6

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.65

$3.04 UYU 122

-0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.45 €39.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.58

$1.60 UYU 64.3

155.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$3.57 UYU 143

-77.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.65 €16.39

$12.38 UYU 497

50.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.76

$1.91 UYU 76.7

4.71%

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

$35.4K €31.1K

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

2.41%

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

$39.1K €34.3K

$35.7K UYU 1.4M

9.45%

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

$150 €132

$171 UYU 6,852

-12.05%

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

$20.55 €18.07

$16.96 UYU 681

21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 €34.68

$49.21 UYU 1,976

-19.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 €42.25

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.44

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 €8.18

$10.65 UYU 427

-12.68%

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

$628 €552

$484 UYU 19.4K

29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.5K

$8,745 UYU 351.0K

88.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.3

$93.8 UYU 3,767

8.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.55 €36.52

$47.36 UYU 1,901

-12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €81.3

$113 UYU 4,536

-18.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$123 UYU 4,935

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,431

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,084

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 €2,748

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,809

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,824

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,856

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Minas: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $56.0 in Minas. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $319, 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 119% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,011 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 $1,517 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 18% 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 $1,011 in Minas – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 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 119% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.