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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $416 in Mindelo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $958 in Mindelo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,501 in Mindelo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 431% more expensive than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Mindelo is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$11.72 CVE 1,114

35.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$58.3 CVE 5,536

11.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.13 CVE 107

153.98%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.07 CVE 102

109.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.04 CVE 98.8

44.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$3.52 CVE 334

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.83 CVE 174

112.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.53 CVE 146

-25.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.13 CVE 107

54.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.80 CVE 75.9

120.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.62 CVE 249

22.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.62

$16.25 CVE 1,545

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$17.56 CVE 1,669

-9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.19 CVE 208

5.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.97 CVE 188

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.90 CVE 276

-30.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.22 CVE 306

-23.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.87 CVE 83.0

111.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.77 CVE 168

12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.06 CVE 101

82.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.78 CVE 73.8

1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$5.18 CVE 492

27.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$8.40 CVE 799

-31.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.02 CVE 192

-32.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.10 CVE 200

41.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.46 CVE 43.25

415.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

$31.03 CVE 2,948

46.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.58 CVE 150

171.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.39 CVE 133

-41.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$10.53 CVE 1,001

73.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.70 CVE 161

21.18%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.67

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.11

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.20

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$3.18 CVE 302

494.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

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

$614 €529

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.22

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,402

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$368 CVE 35.0K

722.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,740

$266 CVE 25.3K

658.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,381

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $58.0 in Mindelo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 431% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $416 including rent). Mindelo 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 $624 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 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $416 in Mindelo – a 431% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $416 in Mindelo versus $2,210 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 431% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.