Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Polva Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Polva

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,249 in Polva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,953 in Polva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,657 in Polva.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 77% more expensive than Polva, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Polva is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$16.31 €14.03

-2.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$87.4 €75.1

-25.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$11.62 €9.99

-9.55%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$4.46 €3.84

-35.65%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.96 €2.55

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.47 €2.12

-39.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$6.20 €5.34

-43.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$6.77 €5.83

-42.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.23 €1.06

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.44 €1.24

21.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.96 €2.55

-40.54%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.86 €2.46

12.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.29 €11.43

1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$9.34 €8.03

-15.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$23.49 €20.21

-32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.60 €1.37

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.78 €2.39

-27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.67 €3.16

-32.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.41 €1.21

30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.98 €0.85

104.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.12 €0.96

-29.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$6.74 €5.80

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$10.48 €9.02

-45.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.97 €1.70

-30.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.48 €2.13

19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.18 €3.59

2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.84 €0.72

-2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$17.49 €15.04

4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.92 €1.65

7.29%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$31.8K €27.4K

7.69%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$34.1K €29.3K

15.31%

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

$148 €127

$339 €292

-56.43%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$20.38 €17.53

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$35.11 €30.20

12.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$13.70 €11.79

-32.99%

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

$614 €528

$260 €223

136.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$8,005 €6,886

100.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$115 €98.7

-8.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$46.78 €40.24

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$106 €90.8

-10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$140 €120

-14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.1

-25.29%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Polva: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $87.0 in Polva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $321 per month, with Lisbon 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 Polva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Polva differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,249 including rent). Polva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,874 in Polva to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,249 in Polva – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,249 in Polva versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Polva but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Polva 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 Polva 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 Polva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.