Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Viana do Castelo

For one person, living is cheaper in Viana do Castelo: $1,498 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Viana do Castelo
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,498
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Viana do Castelo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Viana do Castelo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,498 in Viana do Castelo.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Viana do Castelo $1,498

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $2,435 in Viana do Castelo.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Viana do Castelo $2,435

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $3,373 in Viana do Castelo.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Viana do Castelo $3,373

Living in Lisbon is roughly 48% more expensive than in Viana do Castelo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Viana do Castelo 10% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.91
$9.14 €8.19
82.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$51.3 €45.90
20.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.17
$8.77 €7.86
29.53%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$1.48 €1.32
100.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$1.80 €1.61
27.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.29 €1.16
34.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$1.55 €1.39
119.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.96
$1.85 €1.66
78.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.01 €0.90
14.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$0.95 €0.85
101.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.35 €1.21
11.85%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$2.88 €2.58
39.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$13.23 €11.85
-2.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.96
$8.00 €7.16
-2.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.91
$14.60 €13.08
21.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$1.90 €1.70
21.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.38 €1.24
25.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.67 €1.50
11.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.23 €2.00
16.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.49 €1.33
22.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.72 €1.54
14.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.59 €1.42
-7.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.65 €0.58
10.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$5.69 €5.09
15.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$4.60 €4.12
21.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.28 €1.15
6.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.60 €2.33
-17.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$3.63 €3.25
-35.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.01
$55.2 €49.45
-19.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$3.67 €3.28
4.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.48 €1.32
-27.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.74
$17.69 €15.84
-6.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.04 €1.83
7.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$32.8K €29.4K
4.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$37.4K €33.5K
3.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$83.7 €75.0
92.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.49
$20.68 €18.52
-10.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.32
$39.71 €35.57
-17.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.90
$55.0 €49.26
-19.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.10
$19.37 €17.34
-1.39%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$8.96 €8.02
7.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$452 €405
47.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$6,276 €5,621
180.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$74.3 €66.5
37.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.82
$35.81 €32.07
24.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.2
$72.5 €64.9
35.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$83.3 €74.6
48.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,440
$817 €732
96.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$701 €628
69.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,519
$1,965 €1,760
43.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,803
$1,504 €1,347
33.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,021
$1,655 €1,482
373.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,098
$1,430 €1,281
219.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Viana do Castelo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$1,203 €1,078
30.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.7
4.05%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Viana do Castelo: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Viana do Castelo
$701 41.1% $489
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Viana do Castelo
$238 12.4% $34
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Viana do Castelo
$141 41.9% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Viana do Castelo
$144 32.1% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Viana do Castelo
$120 27.9% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Viana do Castelo
$73 14.4% $9.2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Viana do Castelo
$81 27.8% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $817 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $51 in Viana do Castelo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $238 per month, with Viana do Castelo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇵🇹 Viana do Castelo
🕒 Local time
02:38 2:38 AM
02:38 2:38 AM
Same time as Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
85,784
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Viana do Castelo 330 km
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Viana do Castelo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Viana do Castelo?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,498 in Viana do Castelo, so Viana do Castelo is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Viana do Castelo?
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.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Viana do Castelo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $817 in Viana do Castelo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Viana do Castelo?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $452 in Viana do Castelo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Viana do Castelo is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Viana do Castelo?
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.
Is Lisbon or Viana do Castelo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Viana do Castelo are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Lisbon and Viana do Castelo?
It comes down to priorities – Viana do Castelo wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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