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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $780 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,259 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $1,739 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 183% more expensive than Sao Bernardo do Campo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Sao Bernardo do Campo is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$6.31 R$31.96

152.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$25.45 R$129

154.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$7.94 R$40.21

32.37%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.45 R$7.34

97.93%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.14 R$5.76

96.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.54 R$2.75

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.49 R$12.63

40.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$4.60 R$23.28

-15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.91 R$4.62

25.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.34 R$6.78

30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.18 R$5.98

49.15%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.80 R$9.14

78.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.57 R$48.44

40.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$4.26 R$21.55

85.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$7.38 R$37.35

115.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.86 R$9.43

24.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.64 R$8.31

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.02 R$5.16

97.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.25 R$6.35

96.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.06 R$5.39

73.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.94 R$4.75

112.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.82 R$4.17

135.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.64 R$3.26

23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$2.13 R$10.79

210.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.69 R$33.88

-14.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.09 R$5.50

25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.58 R$13.08

15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.94 R$4.75

152.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$38.50 R$195

18.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.11 R$5.60

286.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.50 R$2.52

64.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$6.31 R$31.93

190.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.04 R$5.27

98.08%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$20.4K R$103.2K

68.26%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.2K R$152.8K

30.19%

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

$148 €127

$67.0 R$339

120.80%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$22.36 R$113

-8.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$16.79 R$85.0

135.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$22.26 R$113

114.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$29.87 R$151

-36.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$7.37 R$37.33

24.56%

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

$614 €529

$305 R$1,546

101.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$5,885 R$29.8K

172.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$28.00 R$142

273.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$44.43 R$225

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$89.8 R$455

4.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$68.3 R$346

75.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$301 R$1,522

441.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$201 R$1,018

524.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$645 R$3,264

370.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$404 R$2,046

399.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$1,561 R$7,906

399.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$1,106 R$5,600

286.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$402 R$2,038

298.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.92

-65.11%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sao Bernardo do Campo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $301 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 298% 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 $25.00 in Sao Bernardo do Campo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $176 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 183% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $780 including rent). Sao Bernardo do Campo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 298% 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 $301 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $305 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $780 in Sao Bernardo do Campo versus $2,210 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 183% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.