Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Timbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Timbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $740 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,224 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,707 in Timbo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 210% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Timbo is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.31

$4.97 R$25.55

253.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.7

$38.64 R$199

62.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.08

$3.86 R$19.86

200.00%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.01 R$10.32

54.23%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.10 R$5.64

126.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.71 R$3.66

145.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.83 R$9.39

90.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.27 R$11.69

51.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.86 R$4.43

33.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.44 R$7.40

32.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$0.92 R$4.73

63.04%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.75 R$8.97

127.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.57

$7.71 R$39.65

72.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.97

$3.45 R$17.73

132.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.70

$7.27 R$37.41

148.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.61 R$8.28

45.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.66 R$3.41

165.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$0.81 R$4.19

128.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.20 R$6.15

112.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.86 R$4.42

113.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.75 R$3.85

180.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$0.66 R$3.38

125.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.88 R$4.50

-6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.18

$1.54 R$7.92

361.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.14

$4.90 R$25.19

20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.09 R$5.59

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.93 R$9.93

10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.00 R$5.16

136.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.57

$43.05 R$221

8.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$1.25 R$6.41

226.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.75 R$3.86

52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.88

$5.81 R$29.88

194.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.00 R$5.15

131.00%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$22.3K R$114.7K

52.97%

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

$41.4K €36.0K

$26.3K R$135.2K

57.31%

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

$169 €147

$56.5 R$291

198.27%

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

$19.33 €16.83

$12.75 R$65.6

51.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.17

$22.64 R$116

48.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.51

$25.20 R$130

93.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.92

$26.58 R$137

-26.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.33

$5.92 R$30.43

61.66%

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

$696 €606

$235 R$1,207

196.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$2,821 R$14.5K

515.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.7

$31.04 R$160

239.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.56

$39.27 R$202

21.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.5

$58.9 R$303

70.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$48.56 R$250

156.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,446

$343 R$1,765

384.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,085

$230 R$1,185

440.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,580

$640 R$3,292

363.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,783

$448 R$2,305

357.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,819

$1,642 R$8,441

377.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,886

$1,121 R$5,765

298.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,420

$693 R$3,564

135.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-65.64%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Timbo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $343 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 135% 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 $39.00 in Timbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $153 per month, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Timbo differ by about 210% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $740 including rent). Timbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 135% 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $343 in Timbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $235 in Timbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $740 in Timbo versus $2,296 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timbo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Timbo 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 Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.