Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Montes Claros

For one person, living is cheaper in Montes Claros: $848 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Montes Claros, Brazil
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Montes Claros
🇧🇷 Brazil
$848
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Montes Claros

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Montes Claros actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $848 in Montes Claros.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Montes Claros $848

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,358 in Montes Claros.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Montes Claros $1,358

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $1,869 in Montes Claros.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Montes Claros $1,869

Living in Lisbon is roughly 161% more expensive than in Montes Claros, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Montes Claros is 38% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$3.53 R$18.85
371.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$31.55 R$169
95.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$7.63 R$40.77
48.89%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$2.04 R$10.89
45.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$1.32 R$7.07
73.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.76 R$4.04
128.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$1.48 R$7.90
129.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$3.02 R$16.15
9.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.06 R$5.66
9.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$1.64 R$8.75
16.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.22 R$6.52
23.77%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$2.15 R$11.49
86.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$9.19 R$49.12
40.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$4.30 R$23.00
80.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$8.76 R$46.83
102.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$2.26 R$12.10
1.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.32 R$7.08
31.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$1.13 R$6.03
64.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$1.56 R$8.34
66.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$1.24 R$6.62
46.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.11 R$5.94
77.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.80 R$4.26
83.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.82 R$4.40
-12.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$2.50 R$13.36
163.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$7.81 R$41.77
-28.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.33 R$7.12
2.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.12 R$11.33
0.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$0.80 R$4.25
191.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$44.22 R$236
1.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$1.26 R$6.76
205.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.86 R$4.57
24.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$8.11 R$43.35
102.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.03 R$5.52
113.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$23.2K R$124.3K
47.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$33.2K R$177.3K
16.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$77.3 R$413
108.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$12.20 R$65.2
50.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$19.67 R$105
66.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$25.42 R$136
75.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$27.14 R$145
-29.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$7.56 R$40.44
26.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$275 R$1,472
142.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$7,047 R$37.7K
149.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$54.7 R$292
86.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$50.2 R$268
-11.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$90.4 R$483
8.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$71.5 R$382
72.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$358 R$1,916
348.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$235 R$1,256
406.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$668 R$3,571
321.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$477 R$2,550
322.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$1,706 R$9,120
359.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$1,181 R$6,313
287.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Montes Claros
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$419 R$2,241
275.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
11
-65.00%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Montes Claros
$235 80.3% $955
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Montes Claros
$193 29.2% $79
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Montes Claros
$97 59.9% $145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Montes Claros
$109 48.6% $103
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Montes Claros
$120 27.6% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Montes Claros
$41 36.4% $23
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Montes Claros
$53 16.2% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $358 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays about 3.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $32 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $193 per month, with Montes Claros cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇧🇷 Montes Claros
🕒 Local time
14:57 2:57 PM
11:57 11:57 AM
3 h behind Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
414,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Montes Claros 7,150 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Montes Claros

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Montes Claros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Montes Claros?
Lisbon and Montes Claros differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $848 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Montes Claros?
Average pay in Lisbon is about 3.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Montes Claros?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $358 in Montes Claros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lisbon or Montes Claros?
All in, you’ll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $848 in Montes Claros – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $848 in Montes Claros versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Montes Claros but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Montes Claros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Montes Claros?
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.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Montes Claros?
It comes down to priorities – Montes Claros wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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