Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Joao da Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,243 in Lisbon versus $796 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,258 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Lisbon versus $1,721 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 182% more expensive than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 67% above, Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$5.54 R$27.54

183.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$27.24 R$135

131.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$5.59 R$27.78

84.62%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$2.02 R$10.03

39.11%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$1.20 R$5.96

94.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.86 R$4.26

75.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$2.12 R$10.55

58.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$2.62 R$13.03

49.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.94 R$4.68

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.60 R$7.97

9.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.33 R$6.63

31.58%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$2.85 R$14.18

8.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$12.68 R$63.0

4.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$4.28 R$21.28

83.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$8.71 R$43.28

84.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.62 R$8.08

47.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.25 R$6.22

37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.13 R$10.57

-7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$1.81 R$9.02

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.27 R$6.30

40.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.24 R$6.18

58.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.04 R$5.19

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.47 R$2.34

78.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$2.18 R$10.81

212.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$5.92 R$29.42

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.42 R$7.03

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.12 R$10.52

37.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$0.86 R$4.25

166.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$37.76 R$188

24.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$1.25 R$6.20

229.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.07 R$5.32

-24.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$6.43 R$31.96

194.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$0.79 R$3.91

164.56%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$21.1K R$104.7K

66.70%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$28.4K R$141.1K

39.95%

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

$150 €128

$86.0 R$427

74.01%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$11.85 R$58.9

72.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$18.33 R$91.1

113.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$22.53 R$112

120.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$21.98 R$109

-15.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$4.59 R$22.83

100.44%

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

$624 €533

$285 R$1,418

118.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$7,884 R$39.2K

101.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$45.82 R$228

122.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$39.41 R$196

3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$39.48 R$196

142.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$41.38 R$206

192.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$321 R$1,597

414.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$213 R$1,060

478.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$584 R$2,903

421.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$437 R$2,174

370.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$1,881 R$9,347

318.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$1,198 R$5,954

259.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$665 R$3,304

135.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-68.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Lisbon and $321 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 136% 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 in Lisbon vs $27 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $200 per month, with Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sao Joao da Boa Vista differ by about 182% in total monthly costs ($2,243 vs $796 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 136% 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: $1,653 in Lisbon versus $321 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Lisbon versus $285 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $796 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $2,243 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Joao da Boa Vista but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Joao da Boa Vista 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 Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.