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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $663 in Rio das Ostras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,087 in Rio das Ostras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,510 in Rio das Ostras.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Rio das Ostras is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$4.82 R$24.39

230.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$27.24 R$138

137.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$6.19 R$31.32

69.79%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.34 R$6.81

114.18%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.17 R$5.94

91.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.55 R$2.80

172.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$1.83 R$9.25

90.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.66 R$13.45

45.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.05 R$5.33

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.23 R$6.22

42.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.01 R$5.10

74.26%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$2.03 R$10.30

58.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$6.37 R$32.24

111.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$3.32 R$16.80

138.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$8.19 R$41.45

93.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.30 R$11.66

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.34 R$6.78

26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.13 R$5.70

77.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.39 R$7.04

76.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.11 R$5.62

65.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.92 R$4.68

117.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.43 R$2.19

348.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.52 R$2.64

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$1.92 R$9.74

244.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$9.00 R$45.57

-36.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.26 R$6.36

8.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.11 R$10.70

40.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.74 R$3.72

220.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$37.87 R$192

20.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.12 R$5.65

283.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.65 R$3.30

26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$7.62 R$38.60

140.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.00 R$5.05

106.00%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$16.1K R$81.5K

112.85%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$27.1K R$137.0K

45.25%

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

$148 €127

$66.2 R$335

123.27%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$12.07 R$61.1

70.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$16.15 R$81.8

145.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$24.06 R$122

98.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$13.53 R$68.5

39.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$5.65 R$28.59

62.48%

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

$614 €529

$338 R$1,711

81.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$6,391 R$32.4K

151.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$45.53 R$231

129.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$42.10 R$213

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$76.6 R$388

22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$60.8 R$308

96.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$177 R$895

821.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$125 R$634

902.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$416 R$2,107

628.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$283 R$1,431

614.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$1,593 R$8,065

389.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$1,140 R$5,772

274.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$551 R$2,789

191.14%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $177 in Rio das Ostras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 191% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in Rio das Ostras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $168 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 ($2,210 vs $663 including rent). Rio das Ostras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 191% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $177 in Rio das Ostras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $338 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 $663 in Rio das Ostras versus $2,210 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.