Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Pontevedra

For one person, living is cheaper in Pontevedra: $1,473 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Pontevedra
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,473
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Pontevedra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Pontevedra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,473 in Pontevedra.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Pontevedra $1,473

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $2,271 in Pontevedra.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Pontevedra $2,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,069 in Pontevedra.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Pontevedra $3,069

Living in Lisbon is roughly 49% more expensive than in Pontevedra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Pontevedra 9% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$15.07 €13.41
13.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$55.5 €49.36
12.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$10.26 €9.13
7.41%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$2.10 €1.87
48.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.54 €2.26
-10.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.75 €1.55
-0.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$3.41 €3.04
0.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$4.03 €3.58
-7.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.86 €0.76
36.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.31 €1.16
41.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.74 €1.55
-11.49%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$3.10 €2.75
30.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$12.13 €10.79
6.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$7.61 €6.77
3.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$16.29 €14.49
8.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.25 €2.00
0.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.58 €1.40
10.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$1.82 €1.62
3.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$2.52 €2.24
1.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.39 €1.23
33.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.55 €1.38
27.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.13 €1.01
28.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$0.65 €0.58
18.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$6.49 €5.77
3.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$5.60 €4.98
1.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.37 €1.22
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.96 €1.74
7.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.64 €1.46
41.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$28.53 €25.38
55.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$4.70 €4.18
-15.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.11 €0.98
-5.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$22.37 €19.90
-23.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.63 €1.45
34.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$35.0K €31.2K
-3.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$30.3K €26.9K
26.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$166 €148
-1.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$16.01 €14.24
15.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$34.02 €30.26
-3.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$67.5 €60.0
-32.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$24.08 €21.42
-22.43%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$9.15 €8.14
6.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$515 €458
32.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$8,171 €7,269
115.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$84.8 €75.4
22.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$41.10 €36.56
12.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$89.1 €79.2
11.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$133 €118
-6.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$614 €547
158.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$505 €449
131.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,131 €1,006
152.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$896 €797
122.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$2,744 €2,441
183.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$2,501 €2,225
76.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Pontevedra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$1,540 €1,370
3.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.58
7.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Pontevedra: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Pontevedra
$505 56.8% $664
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Pontevedra
$246 9.7% $27
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Pontevedra
$219 11.6% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Pontevedra
$216 0.3% $0.6
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Pontevedra
$156 7.1% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Pontevedra
$86 31.2% $20
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Pontevedra
$45 28% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $614 in Pontevedra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 4% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $55.0 in Pontevedra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $246 per month, with Pontevedra cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇪🇸 Pontevedra
🕒 Local time
11:19 11:19 AM
12:19 12:19 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
82,535
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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  • Lisbon Pontevedra 420 km
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  • Lisbon
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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 Pontevedra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Pontevedra?
Lisbon and Pontevedra differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $1,473 including rent). Pontevedra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Pontevedra?
Average pay runs 4% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Pontevedra?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $614 in Pontevedra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Pontevedra?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $515 in Pontevedra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,473 in Pontevedra versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontevedra but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Pontevedra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Pontevedra?
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.
Is Lisbon or Pontevedra safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Pontevedra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Pontevedra?
Expats usually find Pontevedra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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