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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $738 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,203 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,667 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 211% more expensive than in Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Nova Iguacu is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$3.43 R$17.66

412.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$29.27 R$151

114.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$7.46 R$38.36

55.23%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.91 R$9.84

62.30%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.14 R$5.85

118.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.53 R$2.74

228.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.64 R$8.43

112.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.59 R$8.16

116.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.17 R$6.04

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.60 R$8.21

19.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.13 R$5.80

32.74%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.00 R$10.29

99.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$8.04 R$41.36

65.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$2.75 R$14.14

191.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$7.14 R$36.73

152.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.38 R$7.08

70.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.37 R$7.06

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.94 R$4.85

96.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.77 R$9.08

44.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.00 R$5.14

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.94 R$4.82

123.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.37 R$1.92

302.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.37 R$1.93

121.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$1.82 R$9.37

290.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$5.82 R$29.92

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.93 R$4.79

40.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.39 R$7.14

53.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.38 R$7.07

71.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$48.44 R$249

-3.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.25 R$6.45

226.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.39 R$7.15

-17.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$9.59 R$49.30

78.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.10 R$5.66

110.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$22.9K R$117.9K

48.82%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$32.8K R$168.8K

26.04%

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

$169 €147

$45.61 R$235

269.55%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$11.81 R$60.8

63.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$17.89 R$92.0

87.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$23.56 R$121

107.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

$38.38 R$197

-49.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$5.81 R$29.88

64.72%

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

$696 €606

$72.8 R$374

856.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$1,878 R$9,657

824.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$53.9 R$277

95.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$37.27 R$192

28.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$63.9 R$328

57.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$58.3 R$300

113.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$315 R$1,618

428.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$211 R$1,083

491.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$620 R$3,189

378.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$443 R$2,277

362.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$936 R$4,812

737.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$235 R$1,210

593.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

11.12

-66.01%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $315 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 593% 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 Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $157 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Nova Iguacu differ by about 211% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $738 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 593% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $315 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $72.8 in Nova Iguacu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $738 in Nova Iguacu versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu 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 Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 211% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.