Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nova Friburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Nova Friburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $584 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $982 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,379 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 297% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Nova Friburgo is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$5.92 R$30.21

192.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$28.69 R$146

120.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$6.36 R$32.44

79.09%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$1.65 R$8.40

93.33%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.91 R$4.63

169.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.51 R$2.62

245.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.19 R$6.07

201.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.29 R$11.66

48.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.93 R$4.75

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.46 R$7.45

35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.32 R$6.71

15.15%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.88 R$9.58

114.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$8.92 R$45.51

51.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$3.27 R$16.68

156.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$9.58 R$48.83

90.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.57 R$8.01

45.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.11 R$5.64

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.95 R$4.82

95.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.25 R$6.35

110.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.67 R$3.44

186.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.79 R$4.02

164.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.54 R$2.76

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.79 R$4.02

6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.53 R$7.79

343.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.72 R$29.17

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.94 R$4.79

46.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.32 R$6.74

68.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.98 R$5.01

144.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.14 R$5.79

265.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.49 R$2.51

132.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$6.60 R$33.67

167.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.22 R$6.24

90.16%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$18.6K R$95.1K

89.51%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$30.4K R$154.8K

36.52%

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

$170 €146

$39.23 R$200

334.18%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$9.23 R$47.05

109.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$18.43 R$94.0

82.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$21.40 R$109

124.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$6.34 R$32.32

56.47%

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

$717 €617

$140 R$714

412.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$2,496 R$12.7K

600.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$68.6 R$350

52.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$81.1 R$414

-42.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$64.1 R$327

61.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$45.53 R$232

172.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$156 R$795

975.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$96.6 R$493

1215.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$390 R$1,990

664.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$228 R$1,163

773.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,523 R$7,766

413.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$770 R$3,929

504.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$488 R$2,487

224.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

10.67

-64.48%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 225% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $29.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $167 per month, with Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Nova Friburgo differ by about 297% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $584 including rent). Nova Friburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 225% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $584 in Nova Friburgo – a 297% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 297% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.