Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Viana do Castelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Viana do Castelo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,280 in Lisbon versus $1,317 in Viana do Castelo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,294 in Lisbon versus $2,042 in Viana do Castelo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,307 in Lisbon versus $2,768 in Viana do Castelo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 73% more expensive than in Viana do Castelo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Viana do Castelo is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$9.46 €8.19

66.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$45.72 €39.59

38.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$9.28 €8.04

12.61%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$1.33 €1.15

118.80%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.70 €1.48

34.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.18 €1.02

27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.61 €1.40

121.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$1.92 €1.66

106.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.06 €0.92

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.98 €0.85

79.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.43 €1.24

18.88%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.10 €2.68

4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$11.30 €9.79

17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$7.86 €6.80

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$13.93 €12.06

13.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.01 €1.74

13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.40 €1.22

18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.66 €1.44

21.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.34 €2.02

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.32 €1.14

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.80 €1.56

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.69 €1.46

16.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.63 €0.55

31.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.98 €5.18

9.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$4.47 €3.87

24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.13 €0.98

17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.57 €2.23

17.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$2.27 €1.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$41.35 €35.81

12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.78 €3.27

11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.25 €1.08

-32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$14.33 €12.41

31.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.97 €1.70

2.54%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$34.1K €29.5K

2.55%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$39.9K €34.5K

-0.53%

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

$148 €128

$86.7 €75.1

70.56%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$21.11 €18.28

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$39.83 €34.49

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$57.0 €49.33

-15.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$20.14 €17.44

-8.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$8.53 €7.39

6.68%

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

$615 €532

$458 €397

34.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$8,284 €7,174

96.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$73.3 €63.5

38.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$35.07 €30.37

20.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$74.6 €64.6

23.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$87.5 €75.8

39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$722 €626

123.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$559 €484

124.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,058 €917

190.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$960 €831

112.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$1,698 €1,470

356.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,457 €1,262

194.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$1,003 €869

59.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.29

-27.98%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Viana do Castelo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lisbon and $722 in Viana do Castelo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 60% 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 $46.00 in Viana do Castelo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $232 per month, with Viana do Castelo 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 Viana do Castelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Viana do Castelo differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,280 vs $1,317 including rent). Viana do Castelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $1,612 in Lisbon versus $722 in Viana do Castelo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $615 in Lisbon versus $458 in Viana do Castelo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,317 in Viana do Castelo versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Viana do Castelo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Viana do Castelo 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 Viana do Castelo 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 Viana do Castelo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.