Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Natal Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Natal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $672 in Natal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,085 in Natal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,498 in Natal.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 229% more expensive than Natal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Natal is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.81

$4.98 R$25.66

219.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$27.69 R$143

133.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.12

$6.26 R$32.23

67.89%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$1.85 R$9.52

55.14%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$0.87 R$4.47

157.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.50 R$2.56

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$1.46 R$7.51

139.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$2.10 R$10.83

84.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.15 R$5.90

-0.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.26 R$6.51

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.00 R$5.17

76.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$1.83 R$9.45

75.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.71

$6.61 R$34.06

104.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.87

$3.62 R$18.64

118.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$6.82 R$35.13

132.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.08 R$10.73

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.86 R$4.40

97.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$0.85 R$4.39

136.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$1.17 R$6.04

110.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.93 R$4.77

97.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.01 R$5.20

98.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.50 R$2.58

286.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.56 R$2.87

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$1.65 R$8.48

300.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.97

$8.17 R$42.06

-29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.15 R$5.95

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$1.64 R$8.46

81.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$0.83 R$4.28

185.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.53

$30.23 R$156

50.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$0.92 R$4.73

366.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.49 R$2.51

67.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.88

$3.64 R$18.77

402.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.04 R$5.35

98.08%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

$16.1K R$83.1K

112.54%

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

$39.3K €34.1K

$21.9K R$112.9K

79.21%

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

$148 €128

$43.89 R$226

236.91%

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

$20.52 €17.80

$15.26 R$78.6

34.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.37

$16.41 R$84.5

141.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.51

$20.42 R$105

134.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.42

$29.16 R$150

-35.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.97

$6.66 R$34.29

37.84%

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

$614 €533

$115 R$594

432.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

$4,289 R$22.1K

274.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$43.20 R$223

142.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.49

$42.67 R$220

-1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$68.7 R$354

36.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$72.1 R$371

66.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

$306 R$1,575

432.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

$168 R$867

646.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,629

$555 R$2,857

446.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,753

$339 R$1,746

496.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,767

$1,432 R$7,375

444.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,707

$871 R$4,487

390.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

$404 R$2,079

297.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-68.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Natal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $306 in Natal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 297% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Natal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $158 per month, with Natal 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 Natal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Natal differ by about 229% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $672 including rent). Natal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 297% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $306 in Natal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $115 in Natal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $672 in Natal versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Natal but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Natal 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 Natal 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 Natal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 229% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.