Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mindelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mindelo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $423 in Mindelo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $954 in Mindelo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,486 in Mindelo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 442% more expensive than in Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Mindelo is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$11.32 CVE 1,093

43.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$57.3 CVE 5,534

10.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.13 CVE 109

150.44%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.02 CVE 98.9

124.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.03 CVE 99.5

53.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$3.36 CVE 324

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$1.81 CVE 175

122.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.55 CVE 150

-29.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.16 CVE 112

50.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.81 CVE 77.8

117.28%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.72 CVE 263

16.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$15.92 CVE 1,537

-17.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$18.09 CVE 1,746

-14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.19 CVE 211

8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.94 CVE 188

-11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$3.00 CVE 290

-33.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.17 CVE 306

-23.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.85 CVE 82.5

107.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.68 CVE 162

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.08 CVE 104

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.74 CVE 71.5

14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.32 CVE 513

23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.33 CVE 804

-33.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.93 CVE 186

-31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.03 CVE 196

46.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.46 CVE 44.53

395.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$31.02 CVE 2,995

47.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.55 CVE 150

172.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.46 CVE 141

-44.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$10.52 CVE 1,016

75.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.78 CVE 172

16.85%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.92

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$3.15 CVE 305

490.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

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

$616 €540

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$365 CVE 35.2K

749.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$259 CVE 25.0K

683.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $57.0 in Mindelo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $243 per month, with Mindelo 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 Mindelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mindelo differ by about 442% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $423 including rent). Mindelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $634 in Mindelo 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $423 in Mindelo – a 442% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $423 in Mindelo versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mindelo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mindelo 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 Mindelo 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 Mindelo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 442% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.