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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $740 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,220 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,700 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 210% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Nova Friburgo is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$7.11 R$36.22

127.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$32.10 R$163

97.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$5.82 R$29.65

77.32%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.91 R$9.71

48.17%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.77 R$3.93

197.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.48 R$2.46

229.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.67 R$8.51

103.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.65 R$13.51

52.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.91 R$4.64

19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.78 R$9.04

-1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.43 R$7.29

23.08%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.96 R$9.97

61.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$8.15 R$41.52

61.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.65 R$18.56

118.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$8.18 R$41.65

89.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.46 R$7.42

62.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.57 R$7.99

8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.46 R$7.44

37.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.57 R$7.99

54.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.25 R$6.35

40.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.11 R$5.66

82.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.64 R$3.26

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.57 R$2.88

49.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.97 R$10.02

234.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.97 R$30.41

-6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.21 R$6.18

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.10 R$10.70

41.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.85 R$4.31

168.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$38.82 R$198

17.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.11 R$5.66

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.43 R$2.21

88.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$5.91 R$30.10

212.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.07 R$5.46

94.39%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$13.9K R$70.9K

148.92%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.6K R$125.3K

59.09%

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

$148 €130

$36.76 R$187

302.75%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$8.79 R$44.77

132.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$16.82 R$85.7

135.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$20.14 R$103

138.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$21.97 R$112

-15.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$6.36 R$32.36

44.97%

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

$616 €540

$544 R$2,770

13.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$11.5K R$58.4K

43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$44.57 R$227

130.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$41.58 R$212

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$63.5 R$323

49.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$61.7 R$314

97.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$310 R$1,577

427.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$214 R$1,089

476.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$576 R$2,934

437.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$428 R$2,180

374.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,530 R$7,789

411.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$789 R$4,016

456.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$499 R$2,540

222.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.33

-66.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $310 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 222% 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 $32.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $176 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 210% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $740 including rent). Nova Friburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 222% 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $310 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $544 in Nova Friburgo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $740 in Nova Friburgo versus $2,291 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 210% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.