Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rio das Ostras Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Rio das Ostras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $696 in Rio das Ostras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,178 in Rio das Ostras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,661 in Rio das Ostras.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 233% more expensive than in Rio das Ostras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Rio das Ostras is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$5.85 R$29.83

195.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$28.82 R$147

119.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$6.76 R$34.48

68.49%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$1.72 R$8.80

85.47%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.32 R$6.71

85.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.60 R$3.05

193.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.18 R$6.02

204.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.84 R$14.50

19.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.91 R$4.63

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.47 R$7.48

34.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.19 R$6.05

27.73%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.90 R$9.71

112.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$7.51 R$38.28

80.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$3.36 R$17.15

149.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$8.31 R$42.36

119.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.79 R$9.15

27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.15 R$5.86

51.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.94 R$4.81

97.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.23 R$6.28

113.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.66 R$3.39

190.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.82 R$4.16

154.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.51 R$2.61

182.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.69 R$3.54

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.09 R$10.65

224.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$8.93 R$45.52

-36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.00 R$10.21

-31.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.38 R$7.02

60.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.94 R$4.79

155.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$36.22 R$185

29.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.32 R$6.75

215.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.74 R$3.75

54.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$7.74 R$39.48

128.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.09 R$5.56

112.84%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$20.5K R$104.6K

72.36%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$30.2K R$153.8K

37.39%

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

$170 €146

$66.3 R$338

156.75%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$9.78 R$49.90

97.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$18.70 R$95.4

79.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$23.26 R$119

106.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$26.88 R$137

-25.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$6.53 R$33.31

51.91%

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

$717 €617

$319 R$1,628

124.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$7,420 R$37.8K

135.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$53.0 R$270

97.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$27.48 R$140

70.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$64.7 R$330

59.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$45.95 R$234

169.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$193 R$985

767.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$145 R$741

774.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$511 R$2,606

483.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$395 R$2,014

404.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,627 R$8,300

380.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,115 R$5,686

317.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$522 R$2,664

202.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

-62.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $193 in Rio das Ostras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 203% 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 Rio das Ostras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $171 per month, with Rio das Ostras 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 Rio das Ostras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Rio das Ostras differ by about 233% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $696 including rent). Rio das Ostras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 203% 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 $193 in Rio das Ostras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $319 in Rio das Ostras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $696 in Rio das Ostras versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio das Ostras but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Rio das Ostras 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 Rio das Ostras 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 Rio das Ostras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.