Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Bernardo do Campo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Bernardo do Campo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,292 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,758 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 180% more expensive than in Sao Bernardo do Campo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Sao Bernardo do Campo is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$6.76 R$34.65

155.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$28.64 R$147

120.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$8.42 R$43.15

35.27%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.72 R$8.82

85.47%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.22 R$6.24

100.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.64 R$3.30

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$2.33 R$11.94

54.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.77 R$19.31

-10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.93 R$4.75

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.93 R$9.88

2.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.29 R$6.61

17.83%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.92 R$9.82

110.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$11.23 R$57.6

20.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.38 R$22.42

91.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$10.18 R$52.2

79.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.32 R$11.87

-1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.67 R$8.57

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.32 R$6.75

40.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.48 R$7.59

77.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.28 R$6.57

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.97 R$4.98

115.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.85 R$4.37

69.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.81 R$4.14

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.16 R$11.07

213.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$6.75 R$34.60

-15.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.20 R$6.16

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.52 R$12.89

-11.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.09 R$5.58

120.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.13 R$5.80

269.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.60 R$3.10

90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$2.97 R$15.20

495.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.09 R$5.59

112.84%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$22.9K R$117.4K

54.20%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$30.9K R$158.3K

34.11%

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

$170 €147

$63.5 R$325

168.28%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$15.38 R$78.8

25.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$19.98 R$102

68.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$23.11 R$118

108.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$32.12 R$165

-38.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$6.88 R$35.25

44.19%

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

$717 €617

$323 R$1,656

121.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$6,370 R$32.6K

174.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$36.95 R$189

183.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$46.34 R$237

1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$92.8 R$475

11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$73.2 R$375

69.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$326 R$1,672

413.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$245 R$1,256

418.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$953 R$4,884

213.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$426 R$2,183

367.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$1,535 R$7,865

409.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$1,058 R$5,421

340.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$379 R$1,941

317.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

10.81

-64.94%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sao Bernardo do Campo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $326 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 318% 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $205 per month, with Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sao Bernardo do Campo differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $826 including rent). Sao Bernardo do Campo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 318% 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 $326 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Bernardo do Campo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.