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: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $674 in Rio das Ostras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,098 in Rio das Ostras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,521 in Rio das Ostras.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 240% more expensive than in Rio das Ostras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Rio das Ostras is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$4.99 R$25.41

224.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$26.71 R$136

137.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$6.38 R$32.48

61.76%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.36 R$6.94

108.09%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.22 R$6.19

87.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.59 R$3.00

167.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.78 R$9.08

91.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.77 R$14.12

45.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.06 R$5.38

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.27 R$6.47

37.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.04 R$5.29

69.23%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.02 R$10.27

56.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$6.25 R$31.80

111.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.28 R$16.72

142.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$8.13 R$41.40

91.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.36 R$12.01

0.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.30 R$6.60

31.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.12 R$5.72

79.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.37 R$6.97

77.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.10 R$5.58

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.94 R$4.78

115.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.41 R$2.08

368.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.52 R$2.65

63.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.99 R$10.15

230.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$8.70 R$44.32

-35.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.21 R$6.17

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.08 R$10.57

42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.68 R$3.49

235.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$38.58 R$196

18.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.12 R$5.70

277.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.71 R$3.62

14.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$7.41 R$37.72

148.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.03 R$5.26

101.94%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$16.5K R$84.1K

109.90%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$27.9K R$142.1K

40.27%

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

$148 €130

$68.3 R$348

116.67%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$12.27 R$62.5

66.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$16.46 R$83.8

140.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$24.07 R$123

99.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$13.47 R$68.6

38.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.63 R$28.69

63.77%

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

$616 €540

$334 R$1,701

84.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$6,367 R$32.4K

158.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$45.15 R$230

127.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$41.67 R$212

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$74.4 R$379

27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$60.0 R$306

103.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$179 R$910

813.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$128 R$651

864.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$418 R$2,126

641.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$283 R$1,439

618.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,596 R$8,123

390.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$1,145 R$5,830

283.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$529 R$2,695

203.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-57.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $179 in Rio das Ostras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 204% 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 $27.00 in Rio das Ostras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $167 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 240% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $674 including rent). Rio das Ostras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 204% 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 $179 in Rio das Ostras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $334 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 60% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $674 in Rio das Ostras versus $2,291 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 240% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.