Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Joao da Madeira Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sao Joao da Madeira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $1,547 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $2,156 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $2,764 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 50% more expensive than in Sao Joao da Madeira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 69% above, Sao Joao da Madeira 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.92

$10.30 €8.88

67.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$21.25 €18.33

197.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$7.95 €6.85

43.27%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.14 €0.99

179.82%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$1.18 €1.02

107.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.04 €0.90

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$3.44 €2.97

4.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$2.29 €1.97

48.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.90 €0.78

37.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.36 €0.31

450.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.19 €1.02

27.73%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$2.84 €2.45

42.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$8.76 €7.55

54.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.23

$5.94 €5.12

41.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.74

$7.07 €6.10

158.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.20 €1.90

4.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.48 €1.28

17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.92 €2.52

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.05 €1.77

-6.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.97 €1.70

6.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.28 €1.11

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.99 €0.85

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$6.89 €5.95

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$4.79 €4.13

19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.30 €1.12

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.72 €1.48

29.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.48 €2.14

-3.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

$46.99 €40.53

-0.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$4.36 €3.76

-4.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.85 €1.59

-38.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.25

$16.97 €14.64

4.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.94 €1.68

19.59%

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

$35.3K €30.5K

$34.7K €30.0K

1.76%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$40.1K €34.6K

3.43%

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

$170 €147

$115 €99.3

47.88%

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

$19.34 €16.68

$18.86 €16.27

2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.01

$47.04 €40.57

-28.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.48

$39.87 €34.39

20.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$5.90 €5.09

68.14%

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

$717 €619

$343 €296

108.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$10.5K €9,026

67.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$69.1 €59.6

51.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.49

$39.10 €33.72

20.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$84.7 €73.1

22.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$99.8 €86.1

24.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,446

$995 €858

68.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,096

$808 €697

57.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,574

$1,552 €1,338

92.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,718

$1,238 €1,067

60.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,750

$3,187 €2,749

145.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,017

$2,305 €1,988

102.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,365

$1,097 €946

44.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.55

6.76%

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 Madeira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $995 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 44% 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 $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $195 per month, with Sao Joao da Madeira 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 Madeira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sao Joao da Madeira differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,547 including rent). Sao Joao da Madeira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 44% 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 $995 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $343 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,547 in Sao Joao da Madeira versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Joao da Madeira but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Joao da Madeira 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 Madeira 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 Madeira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.