Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montegalda Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montegalda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,258 in Lisbon versus $1,751 in Montegalda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,328 in Lisbon versus $2,638 in Montegalda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Lisbon versus $3,525 in Montegalda.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 29% more expensive than Montegalda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Montegalda 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.46

$18.58 €15.81

-14.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 €54.8

$79.6 €67.8

-19.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.82

$11.75 €10.00

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$2.89 €2.46

$1.92 €1.63

50.52%

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

$2.23 €1.90

$3.62 €3.08

-38.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.73 €1.48

-10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.88

$7.01 €5.96

-51.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 €3.32

$4.58 €3.90

-14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.65 €1.40

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 €1.53

$2.62 €2.23

-31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.90 €2.47

-39.66%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.70

$4.05 €3.45

-21.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.49

$15.84 €13.48

-14.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 €6.63

$12.71 €10.82

-38.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 €13.32

$18.88 €16.07

-17.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.78 €2.36

-17.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.44 €2.08

-29.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$2.67 €2.27

-27.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$2.66 €2.26

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.52

$1.85 €1.58

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.74

$1.69 €1.44

21.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.65

$1.26 €1.07

53.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.40 €0.34

102.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.66

$6.75 €5.75

-1.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.92

$6.93 €5.90

-16.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.50 €1.28

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.47

$2.06 €1.75

41.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.76 €1.50

33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.70 €38.89

$43.30 €36.85

5.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 €3.58

$9.14 €7.78

-54.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.00 €0.85

-19.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 €15.91

$40.18 €34.19

-53.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$2.04 €1.73

2.45%

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

$34.6K €29.5K

$32.8K €27.9K

5.66%

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

$39.7K €33.7K

$38.9K €33.1K

1.82%

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

$146 €124

$223 €189

-34.50%

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

$20.84 €17.73

$11.69 €9.95

78.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 €33.85

$32.12 €27.33

23.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.58 €41.35

$55.4 €47.14

-12.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 €16.04

$23.23 €19.77

-18.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.72

$11.42 €9.72

-20.58%

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

$618 €526

$568 €483

8.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

$11.1K €9,456

45.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.0

$70.3 €59.8

48.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 €34.50

$37.46 €31.88

8.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 €79.8

$89.5 €76.2

4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €104

$132 €113

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,365

$764 €650

109.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,073

$570 €485

121.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 €2,608

$1,239 €1,055

147.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$914 €778

119.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,702 €6,555

$3,343 €2,845

130.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 €3,716

$1,981 €1,686

120.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 €1,394

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.47

-14.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Montegalda: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $764 in Montegalda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64 in Lisbon vs $80 in Montegalda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $335 per month, with Lisbon 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 Montegalda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Montegalda differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,258 vs $1,751 including rent). Montegalda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,387 in Lisbon and $2,626 in Montegalda 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $764 in Montegalda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $618 in Lisbon versus $568 in Montegalda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,751 in Montegalda versus $2,258 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montegalda but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Montegalda 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 Montegalda 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 Montegalda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.