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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $1,538 in Viana do Castelo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $2,543 in Viana do Castelo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $3,548 in Viana do Castelo.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 49% more expensive than in Viana do Castelo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Viana do Castelo 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$9.38 €8.17

87.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$51.0 €44.48

23.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$9.21 €8.03

25.73%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.58 €1.38

96.20%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.91 €1.66

30.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.29 €1.12

34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.56 €1.36

123.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.93 €1.68

78.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.03 €0.90

11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.03 €0.90

85.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.38 €1.20

8.70%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.98 €2.60

33.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$13.47 €11.74

-1.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$8.29 €7.23

-3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$15.15 €13.21

19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.99 €1.73

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.41 €1.23

24.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.70 €1.48

8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.35 €2.05

8.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.50 €1.31

22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.80 €1.56

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.64 €1.43

-9.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.63 €0.55

30.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$6.19 €5.40

14.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$4.72 €4.12

25.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.34 €1.17

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.65 €2.31

-19.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$3.68 €3.21

-35.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$57.2 €49.88

-18.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$3.84 €3.34

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.48 €1.29

-22.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$18.39 €16.03

-7.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.06 €1.79

12.14%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$33.4K €29.1K

2.08%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$39.8K €34.7K

3.85%

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

$169 €147

$87.9 €76.6

91.77%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$21.69 €18.91

-10.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$41.65 €36.31

-19.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$55.9 €48.70

-12.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$19.89 €17.34

-2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$9.27 €8.08

3.24%

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

$696 €607

$457 €398

52.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$6,626 €5,776

161.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$78.5 €68.4

34.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$37.08 €32.32

28.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$76.2 €66.4

32.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$86.5 €75.4

43.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$836 €729

98.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$742 €647

67.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$2,027 €1,767

46.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$1,575 €1,373

30.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$1,722 €1,501

354.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,489 €1,298

199.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$1,249 €1,089

30.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.7

2.16%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Viana do Castelo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $836 in Viana do Castelo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 31% 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 $51.0 in Viana do Castelo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $246 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 49% in total monthly costs ($2,296 vs $1,538 including rent). Viana do Castelo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% 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 $836 in Viana do Castelo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Lisbon versus $457 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 13% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,538 in Viana do Castelo versus $2,296 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 49% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.