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: $2,294 in Lisbon versus $388 in Mindelo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,299 in Lisbon versus $898 in Mindelo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,305 in Lisbon versus $1,409 in Mindelo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 492% more expensive than in Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 70% above, Mindelo is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €15.24

$9.19 CVE 904

86.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 €56.6

$56.3 CVE 5,535

12.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 €9.94

Cappuccino

$3.14 €2.80

$1.11 CVE 109

182.88%

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

$2.41 €2.15

$1.32 CVE 130

82.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.56

$1.02 CVE 100

72.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 €2.98

$2.65 CVE 261

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €3.01

$1.52 CVE 149

122.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.05

$1.47 CVE 145

-19.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 €1.72

$1.11 CVE 109

73.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.39

$0.80 CVE 78.7

95.00%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.55

$2.56 CVE 251

55.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 €11.75

$16.23 CVE 1,597

-18.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €7.05

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.72 €15.79

$17.21 CVE 1,693

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.06

$2.27 CVE 224

1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.59

$1.90 CVE 187

-6.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 €1.67

$2.93 CVE 288

-35.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.33

$3.17 CVE 312

-17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.62

$0.78 CVE 77.0

132.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.84

$1.71 CVE 168

20.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.28

$1.06 CVE 104

34.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.70

$0.77 CVE 75.6

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 €6.18

$5.22 CVE 513

32.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 €5.03

$8.10 CVE 797

-30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.19

$1.91 CVE 187

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.87

$2.04 CVE 201

2.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.10

$0.44 CVE 43.45

436.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.07 €40.17

$31.25 CVE 3,073

44.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 €3.62

$1.52 CVE 149

167.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.96

$1.50 CVE 147

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.83 €15.00

$10.37 CVE 1,020

62.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €2.03

$1.74 CVE 171

30.46%

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

$33.6K €30.0K

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

$40.3K €35.9K

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

$168 €150

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

$18.60 €16.58

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.48 €28.95

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.68 €43.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 €17.06

$3.06 CVE 301

525.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.48

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

$689 €614

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €92.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.32 €42.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 €88.0

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 €1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 €1,077

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,824 €2,517

$367 CVE 36.1K

670.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 €1,777

$254 CVE 25.0K

684.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,944 €7,081

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,501 €4,012

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,604 €1,430

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 28, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $56.0 in Mindelo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $239 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 492% in total monthly costs ($2,294 vs $388 including rent). Mindelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,441 in Lisbon and $581 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 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,294 per month in Lisbon versus $388 in Mindelo – a 492% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $388 in Mindelo versus $2,294 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 492% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.