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: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $800 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,266 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,733 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 189% more expensive than in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$5.26 R$26.94

228.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$22.11 R$113

186.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$6.72 R$34.43

69.49%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.98 R$10.16

61.11%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.13 R$5.81

116.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.88 R$4.52

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.90 R$9.73

88.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.98 R$10.12

71.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.02 R$5.22

21.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.50 R$7.66

32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.93 R$4.77

63.44%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$2.35 R$12.02

71.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$9.56 R$48.98

41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.57 R$23.40

83.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$9.68 R$49.58

88.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.89 R$9.68

21.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.15 R$5.88

51.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.93 R$4.76

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.52 R$7.77

73.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.78 R$4.01

146.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.74 R$3.79

182.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.80 R$4.09

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.71 R$3.62

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.28 R$11.69

197.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.90 R$30.21

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.14 R$5.86

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.82 R$9.35

21.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.83 R$4.24

189.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$44.87 R$230

4.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.46 R$7.47

185.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.50 R$7.69

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$7.64 R$39.17

131.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.98 R$5.04

136.73%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$19.1K R$97.8K

85.07%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$32.0K R$164.0K

29.46%

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

$170 €147

$94.3 R$483

80.57%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$9.63 R$49.32

100.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$19.32 R$99.0

74.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$27.52 R$141

74.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$24.66 R$126

-19.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$5.24 R$26.82

89.31%

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

$717 €617

$270 R$1,381

166.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$10.0K R$51.5K

74.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$52.7 R$270

98.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$35.89 R$184

30.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$50.1 R$257

106.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$57.0 R$292

117.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$344 R$1,763

387.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$196 R$1,002

549.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$645 R$3,304

362.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$458 R$2,345

335.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$1,634 R$8,372

378.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$1,264 R$6,476

268.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$645 R$3,305

145.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

12.79

-70.37%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $344 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 145% 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 $22.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $183 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 189% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $800 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 145% 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 $344 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $270 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 54% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $800 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $2,316 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 189% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.