Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sines Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sines

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,703 in Sines.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,492 in Sines.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,280 in Sines.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 30% more expensive than Sines, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 65% above, Sines 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$15.77 €13.58

0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$62.7 €54.0

3.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$10.41 €8.96

0.96%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.21 €1.90

1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.51 €1.30

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$3.38 €2.91

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.99 €3.43

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.12 €0.97

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.74 €1.50

1.15%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$13.41 €11.54

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$7.73 €6.65

2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$15.76 €13.57

0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.41 €2.07

-4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.65 €1.42

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.93 €1.66

4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.52 €2.17

-2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.82 €1.57

1.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.04 €1.76

-1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.14 €0.98

69.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.86 €0.74

-8.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.55 €5.64

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$6.26 €5.39

-8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.34 €1.15

2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.88 €2.48

3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.35 €2.02

0.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$41.83 €36.01

8.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.21 €3.62

1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.81 €0.70

1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$18.94 €16.31

-3.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$35.0K €30.1K

-1.93%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$39.9K €34.3K

-1.47%

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

$148 €127

$150 €129

-1.11%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$20.70 €17.82

-0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$39.33 €33.86

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$44.75 €38.53

6.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$9.29 €7.99

-1.18%

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

$614 €529

$619 €533

-0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$16.5K €14.2K

-2.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$28.90 €24.88

262.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$40.76 €35.09

3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$51.9 €44.64

81.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$123 €106

-2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$944 €813

72.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$737 €635

70.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,446 €1,245

109.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$1,138 €980

77.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$3,396 €2,924

129.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$2,590 €2,230

64.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$2,698 €2,323

-40.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sines: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $944 in Sines. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sines pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $63.0 in Sines for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $266 per month, with Sines 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 Sines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sines differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,703 including rent). Sines is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sines earns 68% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $944 in Sines. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $614 in Lisbon versus $619 in Sines. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,703 in Sines versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sines but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sines 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 Sines 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 Sines gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.